Muggle Stew
by Kiyda
Summary: If dark haired girls were allowed to be normal, they would be. But under the consideration of the general public, dark haired girls are not. They are complicated. This is proven in a story of mary sues and cannibals. Enjoy at your own at risk.
1. Dont Panic

Author's Note:

Yes, this is a Mary Sue fanfiction, another American girls travel into Hogwarts. I figured since I'm on a Harry Potter craze, I might as well writemy journey with my friendsagainst much of their objections(_points and laughs at her friends_ HA!). Every girl needs a marysue of their own.

Each title of each chapter is the name of a song. The song is either selected to be played while reading the chapter, or it is selected to express or capture the mood of the chapter. Generally, the same reason it is picked. Instead of doing "Frou Frou - Let go" like the chapters in "That Away," I chose to just use the name of the song.

Song: Coldplay - Don't Panic

Muggle Stew

by Kiyda

Chapter 1. Don't Panic

Harry Potter wasn't expecting a weird year, this year. In fact, he was rather expecting a violent, bloody, angry, and "just as frustrating as last year" year. He presumed he would get mad again every other class period just like last year, and his classmates would think he was losing it again as they did last year, and he had a dark feeling someone else he knew was going to die as hisgodfather did last year. But he wasn't expecting this. And really, he doubted anyone else suspected the chaotic events of the year next.

* * *

Karen Hartholmes and her dear friend Cat Crescendo were both first time witches at the age of 16 and 18, rather peculier ages to just now show signs of magical capabilities. They were both having a difficult time with getting to the station, but with the help of Cat's father, they were able to get the station in London from their homes in America without every buying a airplane ticket.

"Okay, Platform 9 ¾," said Cat with a deep sigh. She looked up from the white card and looked around curiously.

Cat Crescendo had big hazel eyes with a small form and figure. She was attempting to grow out her boyish hair cut and bangs by placing bobby pins in her hair and tying back long ends with a ponytail holder. She had a small flutter of freckles over the bridge of her nose, but hardly noticeable. She looked to be rather young, as young as Karen, and indeed, she was spiritually.

"Right through there, Cait," said a rather burly man, tall and old, in a rather soft tone. He pointed to the wall of the arc between the two station. "What you want to do, is run into that wall right there, and you'll come out the other side."

"Okay, um, where's-" Karen popped into view, wheeling her basket.

"I'm on it!" she exclaimed, and began running toward the wall, and just like Harry and his friend in years before, smashed up against the wall, causing all her things to go traveling everywhere.

CRASH!

"Oh my god, Karen, are you okay!" Cat asked.

"Ow…" whined Karen, rubbing her head.

Karen Hartholmes was taller than Cat, startlingly, with small Asian brown eyes and black hair that reached just a little past her shoulders and long parted bangs. She was not too thin and not too fat, and continued to hold the air of a tomboy even as old of a teenager she was today. Ironically, she looked older than her friend who was, in actuality, older than her. To not much surprise, she acted even younger.

"Um. Wrong wall, Karen," said Mr. Crescendo, gesturing to the other wall behind it. Karen peered around to see a blank brick wall, just as similar as the one she just rammed into. She gave a vacant expression.

"Oh. Of course," she corrected herself. Cat helped her pack up her things back in the trolley, and after two great, big, bear hugs from Mr. Crescendo, they both ran through, and ended up just as he said, on the other side.

"Whew. For a minute there, I thought it was a fluke wall, again," sighed Karen in relief.

"Yeah, me too," agreed Cat.

And a glorious sight reached them, a titanic train, nostalgic of the 1950s and one of Agatha Criste's greatest books. It sat in front of them, like a panting, resting iron beast, ancient and furnished in curls and points. They stood there staring for a moment before looking at each other and grinning ear to ear.

This school year was going to be a real luxury.

After putting up their luggage, Cat and Karen wandered around through the walkway of the rain, searching for a cart of their own, confused and startled by how much they did not know existed or ever could be.

"Excuse me - thank you," Cat interjected between each push by and shove. She was so confused. So freaked out. There were so many students, were all of them witches and wizards? She couldn't believe it, and more importantly, she couldn't believe her own father had told her nothing of the magical world and who he was. She had always thought he was most normal father in the world, until she got her letter from Hogwarts and learned soon enough that although she thought when he said he taught at the U of M, he meant the University of Massachusets, but instead, he actually taught at the Univeristy of Magic.

What a big difference. Her father was a wizard all this time.

"Hey. 'Sup, dog," Karen shot a ghetto look at each passerby who often returned such with a weird look. Karen, of course, was not ghetto. She was just trying to deal with all the mixed up emotions inside of her waiting to explode with either excitement or desperation. She was finding it very difficult to interact with what was happening. I mean, she had no idea she had magical abilities. She hadn't seen any signs of them unless your count foreshadowing and foretelling, but she just assumed those were all lucky guesses. In the end, she didn't know what she was doing there, on the bus, riding to a boarding school of witchcraft and wizardy.

It was all just mind-boggling. Absolutely bonkers.

"Hey, how 'bout this one…?"Cat asked, stopping to open the door. Karen walked on, lost in her trivial thoughts. Immediately the throng of females stopped chattering and stared at Cat in threatening glare to leave.

"Oooookay, maybe not," muttered Cat, quickly closing the door and the stares. When she turned around, she was taken aback. Karen was not anywhere in sight, and she freaked.

"Fuck."

* * *

"Harry, don't be offended or anything, but you look awful," said a girl with curly brown hair. Harry, whose head rested against the window, slowly turned to look at her before turning back to look outside.

"I'm fine, Hermione."

"I'm sorry, but you do. You look like you've been stalked by dementers again," declared Hermione. "Are you sure you are okay?"

"Hermione, leave the boy alone. If he doesn't want to talk about his summer, then that's no excuse to bring up…stuff," said the red-haired, freckled boy sitting right beside her.

"I'm not using an excuse; I'm just worried, Ron!" snapped Hermione. And thus began another great debate between friends over Harry's depressing state. Harry rolled his eyes for the 400th time they've bickered over him. He was getting tired of it.

SHHLACK.

Suddenly the door opened, and he heard Cho Chang's voice. He didn't turn to oogle her, just continued to look out the window. Both Hermione and Ron broke the dispute to look up at her.

"Oh, um, I just came to tell you…" Cho began, and Harry felt her look at the back of his head before continuing, "to tell you the Prefects have a meeting today, in about four minutes in compartment 201. Headboys and Headgirls have to be there, too."

"Thanks, Cho. See you there," said Hermione, and she smiled before shutting the sliding door again. Hermione and Ron looked at each other before looking at Harry, noticing he didn't react in any peculiarly, attentive way.

"We're going down to a Prefect meeting, Harry-"

"I know; I heard," spat Harry. There was a quiet pause.

"Okay, then see you."

"See you, mate."

And the sliding glass door was opened and shut again. Harry felt a great weight lift off his shoulders and turned over from the window. He sighed, slumping against the seat. Harry was not mourning so much anymore. Nowadays, he was just very tired, attempting to deal with the guilt of how he had put his friends and others through danger and unnecessary suffering from the previous year. It was strange being there, in the same compartments of the train, on to Hogwarts like the year before. It was all so normal and dull.

SLLLLACK.

A girl in a black longsleeve t-shirt bearing a the faces of rock band and a jeans just opened the door. She looked oddly foreign, especially when she spoke.

"Oh, sorry. I thought this compartment was empty," she apologized. She a wore a most distinctive, rainbow scarf around her neck and sneakers. She seemed rather muggley, like this was her first year or something. "Um, is it okay if I sit here…with you?"

Harry attempted to smile, missing privacy and company all at the same time. That indecisive feeling had still not yet gone away.

"Uh, yeah, sure," he agreed, sitting up.

"Thank you. Uh, I've lost my friend," she said randomly as she sat down across from him. Harry sat awkwardly, placing his hands beside his pant pockets. She sat the same way, but awkwardly for the wrong reasons.

"Oh. What's his/her name?" he asked. She kept looking toward the door.

"Uh. Cat. Well, no. Her real name is Caitlin Crescendo, but I just call her Cat. No. Wait. Everyone calls her that 'cept her family," Karen corrected herself again. She stopped looking and turned to him, with an odd look of appreciation and indifference.

"Um, thanks again for letting me stay with you," she said. "What's your name?"

Harry was a little surprised she didn't know. It had been a while since he had introduced himself to anyone.

"Um, Harry Potter," Harry named himself, arrogantly brushing up his hair and flashing a glimpse of his legendary scar. The girl either simply didn't notice or didn't want him to know she noticed.

"Catherine Josephine Hartholmes, but my friends call me Karen: K, A, R, E, N," she spelled out for him. He nodded, wondering why she had to pronounce each letter of her common name when it was her last name that seemed more difficult.

"Um, excuse me, but are you American?" he asked. She blinked and then looked embarrassed but still declared rather loudly and leaped out of her seat.

"HELL YEAH!"

Harry jumped. He wasn't expecting that. Karen quickly sat back down, entwining her fingers in her lap, and looking patiently over to the door. Harry stared at her, wide eyed through a long silence. She glanced over to him, her face getting redder after noticing his bewildered, constant stare, then she muttered quietly enough for him to hear and hear alone.

"It was a dare," and she reddened some more in pure embarrassment. "Wanna makeout?"

* * *

Cat wandered around and around until she got to the front of the train and the end of the walkway with no sight of her lost friend. Frustrated and angry, Cat folded her arms over her chest and gave a big huff.

What a doofus, she thought, then as she turned around to walk back, she ran into another boy, younger but taller. And they both collided to the ground with an life-changing thud.

"Kyah!"

"Fuck!"

Cat slowly lifted her head from the space between the boy's shoulder, feeling awful in the pit of her stomache. He heard him groan from pain. She immediately sat up from him, looking at his pretty blond hair and face.

"I'm so sorry!" she apologized. "Honestly! I didn't mean to-"

"Ow…" he whined. "Just get off!"

Cat got off him, and stood up rubbing her bare knees and stroking back her messy hair. The boy got up and shook his head. He cracked his back.

"My spine…!"

"Oh, you don't need it," spat Cat, bitterly. She looked at him again, and realized how handsome he was, and he looked at her, possibly thinking relatively the same thing. It depended.

"What are you?" he asked, furtively. Cat stood there for a moment beady eyed and clueless in her Lotr pullover and green jean miniskirt and goth boots.

"Que?" she asked.

"Huh? I asked, what are you? Pure blood, mud blood, what?" he asked, stepping closer. Cat backed up as he approached her,

"A pure blood? You mean like having all homozygous genes?" she asked.

"Yeah. Haven't you ever heard of the term?" he asked, now only inches away from her face. Cat's few freckles were becoming lost in the red blush across her nose.

"No, not really," she admitted. She was up against the wall now; there was no escaping.

"Are you knew? Did you just transfer?" he asked, his face still as close as ever. Cat's heart was skipping beats, a butterfly had just began mitosis in her stomache.

"Um, yes, yes, I did," she replied, calmly as she could being cornered.

"So what is it-"

SHHHLACK.

"Draco Malfoy!"

Draco turned around to give whoever called his name a steely glare. Cat gave a huge sigh of relief and made a run for it. Well, she didn't really run, she more ducked into the nearest compartment.

When Draco Malfoy was done telling off whoever interrupted his interrogation, he turned back to find an outline of where his captive had once been. He looked around and when he didn't see her, he cursed, kicked the wall, then stomped off.

* * *

Harry stared wide eyed and frightened at the question she so casually asked. He gulped and turned a bright shade of red, gripping the seat beneath him. She continued to stare back at him, expressionless, as if it was no big deal at all. Harry could not believe that this was happening.

They made no sounds or movements for at least 5 minutes before she got up and sat down beside him, then smiled almost too cheerfully for such an awkward situation.

"So. What's up?" she asked. "Why do you look so scared? Ever made out before?"

Harry was petrified by the question alone.

"Wha-What do you mean!" he demanded, stuttering over his own words.

"Oh, it's okay if you've never done it! I've never made out with anyone before either!" Karen replied, slapping him on the back. Harry burned with anger, hateful to any pity given.

"I didn't mean that! I have made out with tons of girls!" he snapped, angrily. Karen looked surprised by his sudden change of mood.

"Geez, relax. I was only playing about making out," she claimed, "you know, break the ice? You look like a smart boy, I think you get on fine with girls."

Harry's anger faded with her explanation and her compliment. But he didn't all look too amused with her joke.

"But to tell the truth, I've never done it before. Is it fun?" she asked, with a very serious look of Barbra Walters. Harry blushed a little.

"Uh, yeah, I guess it is," he lied, looking at other things than her.

"Oh. You guess? Okay. That's fine. Got a girlfriend?" she asked, nudging him playfully.

"Is that really the kind of question to ask?" he asked, suspiciously, not enjoying her provoction. Then, not being serious, he added, "Besides, do you even have one?"

"Yep!" Karen declared so honestly and with a straight face, no doubt. She normally lokoed very pokerfaced over every frivolous thing she said. Maybe that was why Harry wasn't sure when she was kidding and being really serious as she looked.

Harry was baffled. He felt as if she had just ripped a tree out of the ground with a smile and smacked him with it.

"You-you do?" he asked.

SHLACK! SHLACK!

The door opened and closed in an instant and young girl appeared in the room, peaking through the fogged door into the hallway.

* * *

"Cat!" exclaimed Karen. Cat turned to look at her, most surprised. Karen jumped into her arms like a master's puppy.

But as soon as she lunged herself, Cat smacked her across the head causing her to fall over to the other side of the compartment.

"Owwwwwwwww!" whined Karen, rubbing her head. Cat put her hands on her hips and wore the look of an angry mother.

"Where were you? I turn my back for one moment, and you're gone!" she exclaimed. Karen rubbed her head, looking up from the ground.

"I was looking for an empty compartment!" Karen excused herself, looking just as angry.

"Fine, then fine. I forgive you," declared Cat, sitting down on the seat across from Harry, crossing one leg over the over, and still looking a little bit angry. Harry was surprised by all of this.

"Oh, thank you, my malady," crooned Karen, and in a pretend manner, got on her knees and continuous worshipped her.

"Oh, enough, enough, get up," Cat snapped, kicking Karen back. Karen got up and sat down next to Harry.

"Um, excuse me," began Harry, "but who are you?"

Cat looked over at Harry and smiled politely.

"Oh, I'm Cat Crescendo," she introduced herself.

"She's the friend I was telling you about," commented Karen. "She's my girlfriend."

Harry looked blankly at her for a moment before turning to Cat with a strange look of disbelief. Cat looked unamused and casual about it.

"Uh, yeah. She's my heterosexual girlfriend. It's this joke we have," Cat answered, "in America"  
Harry grew quiet for a moment, thinking in his head how he ever got into this situation over girlfriends, and America, and making out, but then he remembered he was on his way to Hogwarts. He remembered how none of anything had ever made sense on the way to Hogwarts, and it would only make sense until the end of the year when he was about to leave. And now, after remembering the routine, he grew very tired and sighed before looking out the window.

"It's going to be a very looong year."


	2. Girls Be Ambitious

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading the first chapter.

Song: Miyavi - Girls Be Ambitious

* * *

Chapter 2. Girls Be Ambitious

Everyone keeps staring at me, thought Karen Hartholmes as she wandered around looking for her shorter, older companion. Strangely enough, they were being put in the same age level for some…weird reason. Cat was obviously disturbed by this and recommended that they ask a teacher as soon as one seemed available for questioning.

Karen went snooping around and sure enough she found something peculier enough: everyone was staring at her. She made this deduction long ago, and wondered if everyone shorter could possibly mean they started school too late in the game.

"Karen!" shouted a familiar voice. Karen looked up and spotted Cat waving to her, dressed in her uniform as well, but wearing different shoes that Karen's converse shoes and "wicked witch of the west" stockings.

Great, now everyone is really staring at me, thought Karen, wanting to hide.

"Hey, my sista from another mista! What's happening?" she asked in a fake, hip way.

"Is it just me or is everyone staring at us?" asked Karen, pulling her hood over head.

"Well, first of all you're Americans and oddly dressed," said a familiar voice. Then both turned to see a tall, boisterous girl with her shirt untucked and blonde hair that ended at her shoulders. She was posed like a foreign cartoon character.

"Skye!" cried out Karen, jumping her friend to the ground and squeezing her so tight in the strongest of hugs. Now everyone was really staring, but this time Karen did not care. She had not seen her friend in a very long time and grabbed the chance to hug her once again.

"Skye, what're you doing here? This is the boarding school your parents sent you to?" asked Cat, hands on her hips and looking very angry. Skye was just getting up when she asked, Karen dangling around her neck like a kitten that would not let go.

"Oh, didn't Karen tell you? I'm a witch, well, no, I'm an underage witch, but I'm learning to become one, just like you!" declared Skye, enthusiastically.

"So THIS is why you guys moved."

"No, actually, I live in Boliver now, but thanks anyway," Skye corrected, waving off an arm, "Anyway, you guys never told me you were witches, too!"

Cat smiled casually wrapped an arm around Karen's and Skye's when Karen finally let go.

"Don't worry about it; let's just go," suggested Cat, leading them off

"Wait, where are we going?" asked Skye, who was about the same height of Karen, and if not, taller.

"To ask that lady over there!" declared the shorter. She pointed to an old, wizened woman of tall stature and green eyes. She wore spectacles on the edge of pointy up turned nose, long velvet, robes and a large typical witch hat on the top of her tightly bunned hair.

"Excuse me, Miss," Cat interjected, letting go of Karen's and Skye's arm and jogging toward her. "I have a question to ask. Well, more like we do."

"You may call me Professor McGonagall, and yes, what is your question?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"Um, Prof. McGonagall, this is Karen's and my first year here at Hogwarts, and we were just wondering, um, where do we go?" asked Cat. "And do we take our classes together?"

The Professor looked at both of them with a confused look a few times before finally making a sudden realization on her face. They must be important because she suddenly remembered who they were.

"Oh, you must be those two American girls who just turned underage witches, correct?" asked Professor. They nodded eagerly, and Cat said a small "yes." Prof. McGonagall nodded slowly.

"Isn't there supposed to be another of you? Miss Lisa Minne, I think her name was," Prof. McGonagall pondered. All three of the girl's faces lit up.

"Lisa's here!" they exclaimed. Prof. McGonagall was surprised.

"You're all associated with one another?" asked the Professor.

"Yes, we know her from -"

"OW! WHAT THE HELL! YOU BIT ME!"

"HOTTOITE!"

"That's Lisa," said Karen in a very unsurprised tone, pointing in a direction to where the shouts came. They all turned to see an Korean girl in modest, comfortable robes and shaking her fist furiously. She wore oval glasses at the edge of her nose and looked very busy threatening an angry boy, taller and more muscular.

"Speak English!" snapped the boy.

"IIE!" snapped Lisa.

"Miss Minne!" snapped Professor McGonagall from a distance. Both of them looked up, but the only who moved was the boy who scampered off. Lisa remained in a frozen state of "oh crap."

"Oh crap," muttered Lisa.

Professor McGonagall pointed very sternly to the floor in front of her, and Lisa got the point. She trudged over there, looking very guiltily, but Professor McGonagall didn't address the issue.

"Now all of you, follow me, we'll sort you out first, then."

All four of the girls looked at each other in surprise, and dashed after the power walking teacher.

Prof. McGonagall led them down to the great hall but not before talking to a stout woman, first with a curled top hat. She was dressed in a pale green robes and seemed eager enough, nodding her head in the conversation before leaving to walk in the opposite direction. Karen turned to watch her leave, her big bottom bouncing off. Karen shook her head wondering what was wrong with her. She was suddenly reminded of her mother who was quite stout and looked remarkably like the woman who just passed.

Suddenly, Professor McGonagall threw open the double doors and marched through passed the great hall of students and floating candles like it was nothing. However, the girls, not including Skye, felt very differently. They stopped in the doorway and gaped at the ceiling, which resembled the cloudy night sky with full moon, for a little while before their Professor had noticed they had also stopped following her. Skye was not surprised.

"Well, don't just stand there with your mouths hanging open," remarked Professor McGonagall; a few kids laughed. "When I call your name, the sorting hat will be placed on your head, and you both will be sorted into your houses. The houses are as of followed: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Ready?"

Skye nudged Cat and whispered in her ear.

"Don't be nervous. I'm gonna go sit over there, at the Gryffindor table, okay?" and Skye slinked away to sit at the table of red and yellow colors. For one of the few times Karen had seen her, she looked desperate and nervous.

"Caitlin Crescendo!" called the Professor, holding the hat high above the stool.

"Here goes," muttered Cat, before taking a deep breath and marched toward the limelight. Karen heard sounds of a parade and looked behind her to see a throng of little children being lead by the same woman Prof. McGonagall had stopped to talk to.

"Hmmmm," thought the hate, wobbling on Cat's head. Cat was in a state of confusion and surprised. She wasn't used to have living things on her head, excluding her cat.

"Hmm, definitely not Ravenclaw, hmmm, maybe Hufflepuff, no, too proud. I know… SLYTHERIN!" called out the hat. Cat looked astonished, and the green tabled clapped and hollered with much enthusiasm. Cat blushed and walked off to her table, where a girl with short black hair scooted over to give her a seat. Karen wondered if she could somehow go to that table, also.

"Karen Hartholmes!"

"Thank God, she said my name right," mumbled Karen, and then with great courage, made her way to the stage than actually dashing away from the intensity of it all. There was a weight of great pressure on her shoulders.

Karen slid onto the seat and sat patiently as the hot was topped on her head immediately came to life and started "pondering."

"Oh my….uhhuh…hmn…" rambled the hat, needlessly in thought. Karen was suffocating from the stares, and starting to sweat. "Hmn. I'm not quite sure where to put you…none seems quite right how 'bout… GRYFFINPUFF!"

There was a long silence before a series of strangled, surpressed laughter. Everyone, including Karen was awfully disturbed by this decision.

"No? How bout… HUFFLEDOR!"

Karen sighed with much released stress, and now surrendered to complete humilaition and unamusement. Nothing had change, except the stares seemed more blankly confused.

"Gryffinclaw? Slytherdor? Gryfferin?"

With each suggestion, the great hall roared with laughter and giggles. When it finally died down, Professor McGonagall leaned over and asked the hat.

"Please, make a decision on ONE of the houses, not a mixture of the two," requested the teacher.

"Okay, alright," sighed the hat. Then to Karen, it spoke, "I know a place where people like you can go - GRYFFINDOR!"

And the red tabled clapped, not as enthusiastic as the green table because everyone was all tired out from laughing too much to clap. Meanwhile, Karen was not happy at all. As she walked to the house were she would stay for the remainder of her registration at Hogwarts, she caught Cat's sad look and returned with her own. Then as she traveled down the table, she noticed Skye was sitting with the boy from the train. Her heart jumped knowing she had friends in her new house, and she walked straight toward Harry and Skye.

When Harry noticed her, he didn't wave or anything. He only wondered whether he should look embarrassed or annoyed. He didn't know how to feel towards this crazy girl.

"Karen, I'm so proud of you!" exclaimed Skye, standing up to hug her friend.

"Thanks! Um, can I sit with you guys?" asked Karen, looking very nervous at Harry and Skye.

"Of course!" she sang, and she scooted over.

"Um, yeah, sure," he agreed and scooted over, too.

"Thank you," she dutifully said, stepping over the bench and sitting down between Harry and Skye.

"Lisa Minne!"

"Uh, I think you already know Ron and Hermione from the train," Harry said, introducing the red haired boy and the brown, frizzled hair girl from across the table.

"Hey."

"Welcome to Gryffindor."

Karen nodded to them, but was too busy to really notice. She was watching the descriptive looks of the hate, listening.

"Mmm, same as the other… maybe this time… RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat, and Lisa smiled and stepped down from the stool and dashed over to a girl who stood there with open arms. Karen's heart sank. Lisa must've known the girl who stood up, but that didn't matter to Karen. She wished Lisa had went to her house instead.

"And this Dean Thomas," Harry said, nodding off to the black boy sitting next to Ron. Karen woke up

"Hello, nice to meet you," he said, shaking her hand and smiling weakly.

"Nice to meet you, too," she said with a nervous smile, as well.

"And this is Seamus Finnegan and Neville Longbottom," Harry said lastly.

"Hello!" said Seamus from beside Hermione, standing up slightly to reach across the table and shake Karen's hand.

"Hello," responded Karen, shaking his hand back.

"Hi," greeted Neville with a small wave and a small smile from beside Ron. When Karen waved back, he blushed, slightly.  
Skye nudged Karen in the side with her elbow.

"I didn't know you knew Famous Harry Potter," Skye whispered in her ear. Karen looked at her.

"I didn't know he was famous!" she whispered back. Ron cleared his throat, and they both looked back at him.

"So this really, REALLY is your first year here, huh?" asked Ron. Hermione hit him in the arm. "Ow!"

"Ron!" snapped Hermione, baffled that he would be so rude.

"What! Don't tell me you believed her when she first said it!" Ron snapped back.

"Well, no, I didn't, but you didn't have to be so rude about it!"

"I'm not being rude, I'm just asking a simple question!"

"Honestly, Ron, it's how you put things that make them rude!"

"Well, then how should I put it then?"

"Like this," and Hermione leaned over to whisper to Karen, "So you were telling the truth when you said this was your first year, huh?"

"Oh, like that's any more polite, Hermione!" whispered Ron, leaning over, too.

Karen shot a clueless glance to both of them, before raising a questioning brow.

"Wow, you guys do this all the time, don't you?"

Ron and Hermione both looked at her curiously, shocked that she came to that conclusion after meeting them only twice. They both stopped the argument right away and avoided looking at each other.

Karen looked at both of them noticed something weird going on. She looked at Harry who looked at her, and he seemed very unsurprised by this reaction. Skye was just confused by it all.

"Welcome, welcome to another year at Hogwarts," welcomed the Headmaster Dumbledore. He was a tall man, with a long, wispy white bear, tired half moon eyes, and half-moon spectacles on the bridge of hit pointy, long, thin nose. The hat on his head was much like the first year, but with such a long tip, it only covered a receding hair line and hung behind his head. "So let me introduce, as what now seems like a common position that is always left to be filled each year, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Miss J. K. Gingernox! We wish you the best of luck, Professor!"

Professor Dumbledore waved an arm to a tall young woman who suddenly stood up at the table beside a sitting dark man. She was rather good looking young woman with flowing red hair to her elbows, a small nose, small eyes, and smallwaist. She wore a bright green hat on her head and long flowing green gowns.

"She looks like Ginny, but only older," interjected Harry.

The new Professor gave a small bow, but as she did, her hat fell up and she missed catching it by centimeters. The dark man beside her, Professor Snape, got up to help her, withdrawing his wand and lifting it up for her to snatch out of the air. By now, the applause had lifted into giggles that quickly simmered down.

"A few words, before our great feast of the new school year: just to remind you the 3rd corridor is as forbidden, and the same goes for the Forbidden Forest. The now and then walks into the forest can be no more. It is now even more dangerous than it's name, and most importantly, do not wander off. Of course, all of you are aware of the Second War that has been placed upon us with Voldemort-"

There was a shatter of glass, a scream, and a hundred gasps. The head mastered continued over this.

"and his army. But, despite the overbear of war, let us not think of it as a terrible tragedy, but a chance to once believe again that life precious, and that although it is the darkest before dawn, happiness can survive even when it as small as a candle in the dark. And now that the sorting is done, and my few words have been said, let us begin our feast for a great new year."

With the raising of open arms, a feast appeared, and Cat and Karen were greeted with delicious food and scrumptious dinner. Hungry as hippo on Tuesday, Karen ate eagerly and happily.

* * *

"So where are you from, Cat?" 

Cat looked up from cutting meat to a smirking pale face of a star. She looked like a celebrity with the way she put her hair and the way she smiled. Cat smiled awkwardly in return.

"Um, Boston," she replied, taking a bite of her steak.

"Boston? You live in America?" asked Pansy Parkinson.

"Uh, yeah."

"I didn't know America had witches. I mean, I have a cousin who lives there, but I didn't know that they had wizarding schools there. Did you just transfer?" she asked.

"Um, no. This is like, my first year."

"Are you serious? You mean, you failed a year, or something?" and whether or not she got an answer back, Pansy began to cackled madly. Cat burned a bright red, but luckily people didn't noticed Pansy's sinister laughter. Cat put down her silverware.

"No, I did not fail. I've only started showing magical capabilities now, that's all!" snapped Cat.

"Same thing!"

"Is not!"

"That only means you're slow. You know, got poor genes and such?"

Cat burned with anger. Then she suddenly stood up, startling Pansy, but making her very please with Cat's burning sensations of frustration. Then, with not much as a word, she picked up her plate and goblet and sauntered off. Now she got everyone's attention.

* * *

Karen felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to Cat with a mouth full of bread. 

"Karen, Skye, can I sit with you?"

And with those few words, the table slowly became silent. Then the hall became silent, minus the dining conversations of the teachers at their table, but as soon as they noticed Cat looking down at Karen and Skye with a plate and goblet in her hands, they also began to watch, waiting for her reply.

Although there was no doubt how Karen would respond, this had never happened before.

A Slytherin had never sat a Gryffindor table before.

Karen took the food out of her mouth, "Sure," and Karen began nudging Harry and whispering, "Scoot over."

Harry did not know what to say except "okay" with which Ron replied very quietly and with much hostility -

"Harry, NO! You can't let her sit here!" snapped Ron, in a whisper.

"Why not?" asked Harry, pushing aside the fact she was green and they were red.

"Because she's a you-know-what!" he said, between gritted teeth.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing," muttered Hermione, thoroughly ashamed of the boy beside her. Ron's ears turned pink from embarrassment.

"Harry, please," pleaded Karen. "I'll love you forever and ever and ever."

Harry didn't believe her for a second, but he scooted over anyway. Cat looked suspiciously over at all of them before sitting down between Dean and Karen.

Harry looked over at Dumbledore, wondering if he was watching to, to see what Gryffindor would do.

A smile was growing wide across Dumbledore's lips as if all of whatever he was planning was coming across quite well.

* * *

"Soooo, um, why'd you come over here?" asked Ron. Hermione hit him again. "Ow! Will you stop hitting me?" 

"When you stop being stupid!" snapped Hermione, hitting him again.

"Ow!"

"Oh, some girl was being mean to me, so I didn't want to sit with her anymore," Cat said casually, still cutting away her food. Karen was busy eating her fries, or more like, stuffing them up her nose. Harry was done counting the fourth one when Karen went crazy.

"Some girl was being mean to you! Who was it! I'll go kill her-"

The moment Karen was on her feet, Cat grabbed her by the skirt and shoved her back down to sit. Skye was too busy talking to a girl with red hair to hear what Cat had just said.

"Don't worry about it. I'll get her later."

"What'd she say, anyway, the big, bottom booby?" sneered Karen. Ron had a spittake and later realized why no one would touch the dishes in front of him..

"Oh you know, that I was slow or failed a few grades. Called me dumb, summarily," explained Cat.

"WHAT! HER ASS IS MINE-"

Cat made the repeated motion as Karen made the repeated motion, and Karen was back in her seat again.

"So I think it's better that we say we transferred here instead of this is our first year."

"Wait, you're not going to first year classes?" asked Hermione, suddenly coming to that conclusion.

"No, I don't think so," replied Cat. Hermione was dumbstruck.

"You're skipping GRADES!"

"Yeah, possibly. That depends. One of the teachers told me we were going to have to take tests tomorrow to see which classes we should take. And I really don't think it's skipping grades since I'm 18 and she's"  
"But, how? I mean, you've never been to a wizarding school before, how would you suddenly know everything we've had to learn in five years in in your first year-"

Both Ron and Hermione had reached for the same salt shaker.

When Ron and Hermione touched hands, they stared at each other with what seemed like forever before dashing away from each other, and looking away with feverish blushes on both their faces. Harry and Karen stared at them both, Harry clueless and Karen very disappointed.

"How much sexual tension can you get?" asked Karen, very loudly. Both Ron and Hermione ignored that. Cat went back to eating her food, smiling sheepishly, and Skye looked over at Karen and noticed their area of the table was rather quiet.

"What'd I miss?"

* * *

After dinner, the year's Headboy and Headgirl, which was no surprise to some people, Ron and Hermione, led the Gryffindor's first years and up, up a spiral of ever turning and ever changing staircases to a giant portrait of a fat lady. She seemed very busy cooing the baby in the nurse's arms in the portait next door when the Headboy arrived. 

"All right, everyone? This is the entrance to the Gryffindor dormitory. You'll find your things already there, along with your new uniform clothes, and um," Ron looked nervous for the moment so Hermione had to cover for him.

"You all have to use a password to get in. The password for this year is Obsequious Oblivia. Did everyone hear me? Obsequious Oblivia," Hermione recited. She then turned to the painting. "Obsequious Oblivia."

The Fat lady stopped cooing and opened the door with much annoyance, and Ron and Hermione led the students inside. Harry saw Ron whisper to her, and Hermione turn away with a small smile. Harry didn't think any of it, but then he noticed that Karen was watching them with much thought and suspicion. Every since their encounter on the train, Karen had been eyeing them very, as mentioned before, "suspiciously."

"This is the Gryffindor common room," began Ron, and as he continued talking and students venture around, admiring the comfy interior, Karen spoke unconsciously to herself, and Harry participated.

"They're a cute couple," muttered Karen, watching Hermione take the wheel again and Ron make witty remarks inbetween.

"Yeah, but they're not a couple," muttered Harry in return, watching Hermione get irritated by Ron's stupid comments. She hit him in the arm again.

"Well, you can tell."

Ron yelped, and Hermione scolded him.

"You can?"

Ron shouted at her, and Hermione shouted back.

"You can't?"

Ron said something very sternly and assuming unforgiving because Hermione began stalking off toward the Girl's Dormitory.

"Can't tell what?"

"And this is the stairway to the girl's Dormitory, 1st years 1st floor, 2nd years 2nd floor and you get the gist, goodnight," and as Hermione went stomping up the stairs, she shouted back to the Ron, "You can take it from here, Headboy!"

"'You can take it from here, HEADBOY!'" repeated Ron, in angry 6th year fury. Harry and Karen stopped talking. Ron stared real hard at the Girls' Dormitory before quickly ending the introduction.

"Just a reminder, none of the other houses are aloud to come into the Gryffindor's Corridor, so don't go telling anyone the password or you will receive strict punishment. Wakeup call is at 6:00 A.M, and breakfast is at 7:30. Also, Boy's dormitory is over there and just a reminder, no boys are aloud in the Girls' Dormitory and don't even try it," he spat. "You'll see what I mean. Lecture over; do what you want."

Harry began walking up to a marching Ron.

"You did great, Ron-"

"Oh sod off, Harry," stabbed Ron, and he pushed passed him and ran up the stairs of the Boys' Dormitory. Harry stood there, mouth slightly opened staring at the staircase in blank confusion. Karen stepped up beside him.

"He likes her. A lot."


	3. Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading Chapters 1 and 2.

Song: Greenday - Boulevard of Broken Dreams

* * *

Chapter 3. Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Cat rolled over, and her pillow began vibrating. It was morning. She sat up and looked over to the window and, although expected to see the sun, did not see it. There was a flash of lightning and five seconds later a roar of thunder that made Cat jump.

"Scared of thunder, huh, newbie?" asked a familiar voice. Cat looked over at the same girl from last night who annoyed her so. Pansy Parkinson was busily strapping on her bra.

"No, I'm not scared of thunder," Cat shot back, "I just don't like thunderstorms that's all."

Cat decided it was not a good time to be awake. She sank back and pulled the covers over her head. She tried to go to sleep, rolling back onto her other side and digging herself into her warm nest of a bed, but obviously, Zeus was cranky that morning and decided to strike more lighting and cause another frightening boom. Cat jumped and could faintly hear a scream. She thought immediately of Karen, because it sounded like how she would act.

"Oh, I'd get up if I were you, Crescendo, it's nearly 7' O'clock. Breakfast's at 7:30, remember?" reminded Pansy, she grabbed her bag of books and opened the corridor door. "Bye."

As soon as she left. Cat shot out of bed, stripping as she ran to the girls bathroom. She jumped in the shower, and as soon as she was done, ran in her robe to her clothes and quickly dressed in her new uniform. The uniform was not uncomfortable, no, but it made her feel very conservative. However, since she was late, she didn't bother to rearrange in a way that would make the clothes resemble the way she usually wore her clothes: bold and personal. Cat grabbed her messenger bag and stuffed her rather large and frightening books into her sack. She strapped it up, hung it over a shoulder, and ran down the stairs.

As soon as she saw the light of the fire of the Slytherin Common room, she ran to the door, pushing past an innocent girl in the doorway who was talking to a blonde boy involving much flirting. She pushed past him, too.

"Excuse me!"

"Hey!" he called back.

"Sorry!" she called back. He watched her bouncing form climb through the portait hole and slam the painting back. The touch was familiar.

"What a bitch!" snapped the blonde girl. The blonde boy continued to watch, as if waiting for the girl to come back.

"Who was that?" asked Draco.

"Oh, just the new girl, the one from yesterday, remember? Cat Crescendo? Yeah, I share a room with her," explained the blonde girl, up against the doorway and untucking a piece of hair, trying to make it cover a side of her face in a sexy way. "She's sort of a brat, and she's very rude and loud. She just won't shut up about certain things, and then she had the audacity to tell us we were too loud last night when we were playing truth or dare. She's also violent and cranky. I mean, she hit me! With her makeup bag! Can you believe that…"

But Draco Malfoy was not paying attention. He recognized that shove, and he knew that Cat Crescendo was the girl from the train.

"Is she a mud blood and or pureblood?"

"Huh? Oh, I don't know; I never asked - hey where are you going -"

* * *

Meanwhile, Karen was having troubles of her own. 

Dressed in her black and red striped stockings and converse shoes, skirt, shirt, vest, tie, and robes, she was shaking from head to toe with something obviously not cold temperature.

"Oh, stop shaking, Karen, it's only a little thunder and lightning."

Hermione was busily taming her awfully curly hair like she did every morning in her modest uniform.

"I-I'm not shaking…" there was another crash of thunder, and Karen jumped.

Karen went back to stuffing books in her messenger bag made out of a pair of old purple jeans. She slid a few pens and pencils into the back pockets and refastend the Captain Jack Sparrow tie onto both ends. As soon as she slid the thing over her head on her shoulder another flash of lightning lit the room even more, causing Karen to pale.

"Shouldn't we be down stairs? I mean, it's really thundering out there, it could be a tornado-"

"We don't get any tornadoes here, Karen. This is England, a mediterean country," Hermione informed her.

"Nobody told me that," mumbled Karen. She started whimpering very quietly, waiting for Hermione to finish putting up her hair.

"Why's your hair so curly?" asked Karen, having nothing else to talk about.

"I don't know. My mother had curly hair," Hermione said, lowly.

"Who is your mother? She a witch, too?" asked Karen. Hermione put away her brush and grabbed her bang, throwing it over her shoulder.

"Oh, no. She's a muggle. Both my parents are muggles," said Hermione. When she didn't hear Karen reply, she wondered if perhaps Karen was quiet with shock or prejudice. Then as she turned around, Karen held a blank look as if the reason she was really quiet was that she didn't know whether to blow off and pretend she knew what Hermione was talking about or just ask.

"What's a muggle?" asked Karen. Hermione blinked.

"It's a non-magic person. Are you muggleborne, too?" asked Hermione, leading them to the door.

"Guess so, 'cause both my parents made a face fault when I read the Hogwarts letter I got," said Karen, following Hermione's back down the stairs. "My mother practically poured my father's coffee down his pants."

Hermione laughed. Karen smiled, feeling the icy, cold shoulder of Headgirl lifting with the morning warmth.

As soon as they reached the great hall, breakfast was already set, and they both took their places. But since last night, Hermione seemed to want to next to Harry while Karen took a place beside Ron. She looked at Ron and gave weak smile. He smiled the same way. Neither of them were feeling their best.

"Huff huff, Karen!"

CRASH!

"AAAAAHH!"

Karen screamed when Cat grabbed her by the shoulders at the same time the storm thundered. Hermione had jumped when she screamed and had knocked her drink over. Harry and Ron started laughing, not noticing Hermione's troubles.

"GOD, Karen! It's just me!" yelled Cat. She took a seat beside her, setting down her books.

"DON'T DO THAT!" snapped Karen.

"Quiet down back there!" shouted Argus Filch.

Harry and Ron stifled their laughter, but then Karen noticed Hermione's orange juice was dripping over the side and into her lap.

"Oh, crap, sorry," Karen apologized, reaching for some napkins. Ron noticed and reached for some too, but only knocked over his drink as well and Harry yelped. It had spilled onto his plate.

"Sorry, Harry. Jeez."

Hermione took the napkins from Karen and began cleaning up her place at the table and in her lap. Ron was so embarrassed; he had meant to help, too, but only ended up causing another problem.

"'S Okay," Harry said. He didn't take what Ron said to him last night and had forgiven him for what Karen said. He had been pondering this all night and morning: did Ron really like Hermione? He didn't know or at least, he wasn't sure. How could Karen tell from only watching them in less than day, and him not know from watching them for 6 years!

When all troubles were gone, Karen was buttering her toast and Cat was drinking her coffee when she remembered last night.

"Oh, how was your sleep last night? Did you get stuck with that butthead from yesterday?" asked Karen, now getting angry while buttering which was not a good idea since she ripped the inside of her toast.

"Oh yeah"  
"WHAT!" Karen stabbed right through it. "What happened!"

"I hit two girls, one with a makeup bag the other with an alarm clock, and for payback, I snuck a dead cockroach on the edge Pansy Parkinson's big, open snoring mouth when she was sleeping," said Cat. Ron choked and began laughing again. Harry patted him on the back. "Luckily I was feigning sleep when she woke up and started screaming over the cockroach that had fallen in her mouth, so I was able to enjoy the moment."

Hermione smiled to herself, but when Karen looked at her(noticing the smile) she stopped and lectured them.

"That's not very nice," she said.

"I didn't say it was nice, I said it was payback."

Ron laughed very hard.

"How was yours?"

"Oh it was okay. A lot of talking girls, but me and Hermione got on just fine," said Karen.

"You and who?" asked Cat, who withdrew the cup from her lips.

"Oh, um, me. I'm Hermione," said Hermione, wiping a hand on a napkin and reaching over the table to shake Cat's hand.

"Oh. Hi, uh, you're the girl from last night," said Cat, shaking her hand arguably. "Sorry, I didn't get your name."

"That reminds me - you were really brave last night at dinner," complimented Hermione.

"Huh?" wondered Cat.

"Well, the way you came over here from the Slytherin table. No one has ever done that before," explained Hermione.

"For reals?" wondered Cat.

"You mean, you don't know?" asked Ron.

"Know what?" asked Cat, feeling very stupid now which was not making her happy.

"Excuse me," interjected Karen, leaning forward very Captain Jack Sparrow like, "let me be the one to remind you, so said newfound friends of mine, that Cat and I are in fact, new to this school and know nothing of who or what happens here 'cept the usual magical activities of moving staircases and dancing silverware. Do you occasionally break into song, too?"

Ron rolled his eyes, but Hermione took the situation very seriously.

"Well, just so you know, Gryffindor and Slytherin are ultimate enemies. Our quidditch battles are so personal and deadly, it's scary. Not to mention even our head teachers are not so friendly with each other either," explained Hermione.

"Wow. Major," commented Karen, taking a bite of her toast and leaning back.

"Why do you we hate each other so much?" asked Cat. Hermione opened her mouth to say something but as soon as she began thinking about what she was going to say, nothing came out. She closed it and began mushing her oatmeal.

"I don't know," she concluded. Ron's bacon which was inches from his open mouth stopped midway. He set it down and gave her a look of disbelief.

"Bloody hell, Hermione, you know exactly why!" Ron turned to Cat, crossing Karen, and spat it out. "It's because all Slytherins are full of bad apples, like You-Know-Who and Draco Malfoy. They're all self-absorbed muggle hating snobs. There wasn't a wizard or witch in Slytherin who didn't go evil."

Cat stared at him wide eyed and blinking for a minute before glaring at him.

"So what, you think I'm going to go evil?" Cat shot back. "How do you know what I'm going to be when I grow up!"

Harry continued reading the book he got from Daigon Alley on Quidditch, paying no heed to the conversation, so when Ron looked at him to back him up, Ron had to take his book away to get his attention.

"Harry, have you ever heard of Slytherin that grew up to become a healer or one of the Chudley Cannons?" asked Ron.

"Honestly, Ron! A Chudley Cannon isn't a saint-" but he cut Harry cut Hermione off.

"No, not really," said Harry very bluntly. "Now give me back my book."

"Cat's not evil," said Karen very seriously reading the book that Harry was reading and Ron had handed to her. Harry fruitlessly reached over the table to get it from her.

"So you hate Slytherins cause you think they're evil. Well, why do Slytherins hate you?" asked Cat, folding her arms over her chest.

"I don't know, why don't you tell us?" asked Ron, shooting back a glare.

"Hey, Karen, give me back my book, will you?" asked Harry.

"No," Karen told him.

"Well, I can tell you right now, I'm not liking you 'cause you think I'm evil or going to be. AND you think I'm a 'self-absorbed snob,'" sneered Cat. "And you have a big head"

"Please, Karen. I haven't even finished it-"

"You play this sport on a broomstick?"

"Well, it could be the fact we always win in our Quidditch matches," Ron snapped. "And my head's not big!"

"Give it back!"

"Come and get it."

"Or it could be the fact you're so arrogant, and pigheaded!" snapped Cat. "You're head is, too, big."

Harry stood up but Karen was already getting out of her seat and holding very high, finally attracting the attention of their bickering friends.

"Gotta catch me, Mr. Harry Potter!" Karen said, dashing away, her bag holding her down.

"Karen!" exclaimed Cat, getting out of her seat. "Come back here!"

Harry easily caught her, pulling out his wand. Karen, who knew one thing about the wizarding world and that was never to have a wand pointed at you, so Karen, out of sheer desperateness, ran back and jumped ontop of Harry.

"Harry!" exclaimed Ron, getting up, too.

"What - Just what in the name of Merlin is going on here!" snapped Professor McGonagall. Harry and Karen were lying in a heap at the Professor's feet, with Harry reaching for the book Karen was holding above her head on top of him. They were both frozen in fear and awkwardness.

Kids laughed, they were the center of attention in the great hall. The bell rang. Breakfast was over. They quickly got up, dusting off their robes.

"Sorry, Professor. She was just - and I was just - Sorry," he apologized again. Karen nodded, looking down at her feet.

"Well, since the first day has hardly even started, I'll let it go, just this once. But let it be reminded to you, the next time points will be deducted," said Professor McGonagall. "Now run off, or you'll be late to your class. Miss Hartholmes, get your friend Miss Crescendo, and both of you will come with me."

Karen nodded. "Yes, Professor," and Karen shoved the book into Harry's arms(very roughly) before stalking off to Cat. Harry turned around to watch her say something inaudibly to Cat, then look at him from the corner of her eye. Cat looked at him, too. Harry turned back around, and he felt Hermione touch his shoulder.

"You okay, Harry? I saw she didn't take points away," said Hermione.

"Yeah, fine," said Harry. Ron handed him his books.

"C'mon, we'll be late."

* * *

The way that Karen and Cat looked at him haunted his brain throughout the rest of the morning classes. He saw the look in her eyes, the same intrigued look she gave Ron and Hermione when they weren't looking. Cat gave the same look the she gave him on the train, curious and suspicious. Cat didn't trust him, but Karen did. In fact, she seemed like she was waiting for him to say something all the time, and he wondered what he should have said. Was it an apology she wanted? No, she didn't seem angry that morning or on the train. Maybe he was supposed to ask her something. He wasn't sure. Or maybe he was supposed to compliment her clothes or her hair? He wasn't sure about that either. She wanted something from him, and he didn't know what. He didn't know even why she bothered to sit with him anyway, aside from the fact he was the only Gryffindor she had known from the train ride. 

"Arry… Harry!"

Harry woke up, he noticed a towering Mr. Snape, and he didn't even bother.

"I don't know, Professor. Whatever it is, I probably don't know."

Points were taken, an essay was given, the regular routine went on as normal: Herbology was as deadly as usual with throat throttling plants that Harry could not seems to let go, Transfiguration was mind boggling hard as he was forced to turn a mushroom into a steady chair, and Snape had caught him not paying attention again, points were deducted, and he was given an essay on the exact topic he had missed. Finally lunch came, and he was ready, wondering if he would see Karen. Outside, he noticed it was still pouring because the ceiling above him looked dreadful and depressing and more candles floated above them. A peculiar thing though, he noticed as he sat down. There were pots and pans everywhere where a drip made contact with the table.

"They say the spell has leaks; they're trying to get it fixed," said Hermione as she tucked her legs over the bench under the table. She then pulled out a paper, soggy at the tips from her pouch. As soon as she opened it up, her eyes flew open.

"Oh my God," Hermione muttered. "I can't believe it."

"Leaking spells? No, not really-" but Hermione cut Ron off.

"No, not that, no, this, right here," Hermione said, showing them a Daily Prophet, and the title, in big words.

**MUGGLE LEFTOVERS FOUND:**  
Wizard Suspect of Cannibalism

Harry felt like a rock hit him in the face, staring hard at the headlines. His eyes scanned down to the picture of inspectors examining what looked like a half chewed away hand. It was a such a gruesome sight that Harry had to look away.

"How have did you get that? The Post hasn't come in, yet, 'cause of the weather," Ron said quietly, studying the paper.

"I borrowed a teacher's," mumbled Hermione, now reading down the lines. "Listen to this: 'The few body parts found appear to have belonged to young muggle girl around 15 to 16 years of age. From the teeth marks on the arm, experts believe that the victim was still alive when she was attacked and eaten mostly, by a human being…'"

Harry was horrified. She was no older than him, and the tragedy of her end hit him very hard as the headlines had. He felt his stomache turn, and he sat down to the meal before him.

"Can you believe that? That's just - that's horrible," said Hermione, still reading. Ron nodded, and gulped.

"Do you think he's a death eater? The wizard who ate her?" asked Ron.

"More than likely," said Hermione, opening up the paper more to read the extension of the article. Harry was quiet with a bad feeling that ate away his appetite while staring at the nice warm bowl of stone soup that sat in front of him.

"Thanks, Hermione. Now I can eat."

After an empty lunch of nothing, Harry and his companions made their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts Room with dreary thoughts and unhappy imagery. But as soon as they entered the room, they entered a warm atmosphere. A suspicious, but warm atmosphere.

"Oh my God," whispered Hermione, stopping dead in her tracks at the doorway.

To the far back, right of the desks was Karen playing with Cat's hair, attempting to make it nice and neat.

"No way! They actually managed to get into the 6th years!" exclaimed Ron. He started heading toward them, and Harry wanted to continue too, but Hermione pulled him aside.

"D'you think they used a time turner?" asked Hermione, looking him in the eye. Harry didn't want to look at her.

"I don't know," he said, turning to watch Cat slap Karen's hands out of her hair, once, twice. "But if they did, wouldn't they look a lot older?"

"Good question," submitted Hermione, and they both began making way toward them.

Harry walked up to her desk, and Karen looked up from Cat's hair. She didn't look any different from breakfast, but he did noticed Cat looked a lot more annoyed than usual. Probably from having Karen nettling with her hair.

"Oh, hi, Harry. Cool to see we've got the same class together, huh?" Karen wondered, leaning her head on a hand.

"How did you get in here? I mean, how were you able to take 6th year classes from knowing zip?" asked Harry. Karen blinked and thought about.

"It's a secret."

Harry looked at her, confused. Ron who had taken a seat at the double desks next to her along with Hermione, gave him a weird look, as well as Hermione of complete and utter confusion. Harry looked back at Karen, a little mad and mystified. Karen looked accusingly, obviously guarded.

"Don't you like secrets, Harry?"


	4. Time is Running Out

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading Chapters 1 - 3.

Song: Muse - Time is Running Out

* * *

Chapter 4. Time is Running Out

Draco Malfoy turned the corner into the Defense Against the Dark Arts room, mumbling something about "stupid mud bloods" when he froze dead in his tracks. In the back right corner of the room sat the girl from the train. Her gentle pale face was deep in though, her brows bent, and her eyes focused in the textbook she was flipping through. Her gentle hair, although held back by a too cute, strawberry, hair tie and skull pins. He made his way to her like a tiger for his prey.

"Secrets?" asked Harry, his voice reaching an unusual high note. He quickly cleared his throat. "No, I mean, no, I don't really care for.."

Harry became distracted as a certain bright blonde appeared across the table, above Karen's deep-in-her-work friend, Cat. Karen blinked, confused, and turned to look over to Cat or the person looking over her shoulder.

"…secrets."

Malfoy snatched the notebook, breaking Cat's deep concentration.

"Hey!" Cat snapped up to Malfoy who was grinning too widely for Harry to feel comfortable.

"Now, now, just wanted to see what you're drawing!" Malfoy sneered with an evil grin. Whatever Malfoy took pleasure in was sure to be very unpleasant for someone else. And indeed, the boy started chuckling.

"Ooo," he crooned, "So this is what you think about!"

Cat turned a bright shade of pink. Karen was getting out of her seat, and both Harry and her said the same thing.

"Give it back to her," they said in unison. They both looked at each other, as Draco looked at both of them. His smile didn't fade.

"Well, aren't you two two sides of the same coin," he said. He glanced down at Cat who was looking pretty annoyed and embarrassed at the same time. "But aren't you curious? How good Miss Crescendo is? See, for yourselves."

Draco turned around the sketchbook, causing Cat to hide her head in shame, and he revealed the picture of two naked lovers, arms in arm in the hollow of a tree. The woman's breasts were very visable, and there was a look of great passion in both faces as the man held her.

Harry and Ron both turned a bright shade of magenta. Draco turned it back around and admired it at a different angle.

"It definitely tells you a lot about the artist!" Draco mentioned. Cat shot her head out of her arms, and she made a jump for the sketchbook.

"It does not! Give it back!" snapped Cat. Draco snapped it back.

"I like it," said Hermione. All very embarrassed Ron, Cat, and Harry(along with an expressionless Karen) turned to look at her, astonished. There was no hint of blush on her face as she said the words. She was very serious.

"I think it's beautiful," she said, getting up from her seat. She reached over and grabbed it very easily from a very shocked Malfoy. She smiled down at the picture and traced it with her fingers. "You can tell how very much in love the couple is."

Cat's embarrassment decreased dramatically. She was now beaming with pride. Karen smiled and looked over Hermione's shoulder.

"Yes, I'd have to say what I like best is the use of the four focal points, and how the blocky, dangerous points of the tree display the cruelty of the outside world, and the couple inside of the tree represent the ideal world we try to create," explained Karen. Harry stared. He didn't realize Karen thought deeply about anything. At least, not from her first impression. He was especially surprised by Hermione's defense of the controversial picture. She was usually so conservative.

They handed the picture to Harry, which he guessed meant for him to critique.

"Um, I like… the details you put in the bark of the tree and the tree leaves," said Harry, being very vague since he didn't know quite a lot about art. The only art he was familiar with was the moving portraits of the corridors and hallways, and even that, was not really admiring it.

Harry handed it to Ron. Ron had a particularly difficult time.

"Um…" Ron was left speechless. He put his hand to his chin and looked at it hard, thinking of what he could say about it that wouldn't address the nude factor of the drawing. "I like the mood of the picture gives breast - I MEAN BEST!"

Ron quickly handed back to Cat as Hermione gave him a very disturbed look. Ron gave an awkward shrug, blushing and looking away.

Now, Draco was left feeling very weird. He didn't know whether to feel angry that the horror and rejecting reaction he was expecting had not come, and instead, had turned into appreciation and acceptence. He was sort of counting that so they'd buzz off and leave her and him alone. But now, that the tables had turned, he was a little thrown off.

"Why don't you go find a stick figure to admire, caveman, since you can't seem to appreciate fine art!" shot Hermione. Draco was baffled. Once again, this gave him the excuse to call her a dirty word.

"Well, you would know, filthy, little mudblood!" snapped Draco.

Ron started towards Draco, but Harry held him back. He pushed him back into his chair, and as soon as he was to turn to Malfoy to shoot and even more painful, pride-hurting dagger than the caveman comment, Karen stood up, abruptly.

"Fuck off," she said, very bluntly.

Draco looked bitterly defeated, glaring at her down hard, in the eyes like a sore loser. He looked over at Cat who was looking away angrily, afraid she might do something lethal. There was a moment or two before he stomped away to another part of the room, realizing he had just lost only a battle that didn't have much hope winning anyway.

As soon as he was out of hearing range, Hermione turned to her.

"You didn't have to use the 'F' word," she muttered. Karen merely sat back down and wrapped an arm around Cat.

"If she hadn't, I would've!" snapped Ron. Harry watched her squeeze her arms and whisper something nice. Cat smiled and laughed a little.

"Ron!" Hermione snapped back, getting into her seat next to Ron.

"Who cares, what she said! He's gone!" declared Harry, sitting in front of Karen.

"Who's gone? Who was that? And what's a mud blood?" asked Karen, who although had been awake through the entire affair, was in the dark. In a few moments it took to make a nice pot of coffee, they explained to her Draco Malfoy's reputation for being a ruthless jerk and the definition of the hated word, "mud blood", and frequently reminded her that it was bad and not to be said in civilized conversation(noted by Hermione). Muggle-borne was much more appropriate.

At that moment, the teacher, finally came out of her hole in the ground, so to speak.

"Good Afternoon, class," the red-haired woman greeted as she delicately traveled down the stairs. She was attempting to tie up her long floating hair in a hair clip. Bits and pieces of long bangs would fall out, but she tucked them behind an ear and smiled genuinely with bright, emerald eyes. She reminded Harry of someone but he couldn't remember.

Indeed, although as casual as she seemed, Professor Gingernox was stunningly beautiful and very capable of grabbing attention.

"I am Jasmine Gingernox, Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Thank you all for attending and not skipping," joked the Professor. A few children looked at each other, wondering if she was joking or not, but not Harry, Ron, or Hermione. They were now very skeptical of their DADA teachers.

"Now before we start today's lesson, I would like each of you to stand up and give me your name and one thing about yourself," declared Prof. Gingernox. Some groaned. "Yeah, I know. This is 1st year stuff, but just humour me. Okay, we'll start with the first row then go back to the first person of the second row, go down and back to the first person of the third row, and go down and so forth. Alright, go."

Each student said their name and one thing. Some forgot stand, to which she made them with a spell, and they quickly finished so as to sit down and no longer hang by the collar of their robes.

Soon it came to Ron.

"Ron Weasley. I'm keeper for the Quidditch team," said Ron.

"Good, very good."

"Ahem, I'm Hermione Granger. I like to read, a lot."

"I know, I've heard about you."

Hermione blushed.

The row went down and soon it came time for Harry to speak. He got up, but before he could say a word, the Professor interrupted.

"You're Harry Potter, I know," she said, eyes focused on his scar. "And your parents were killed by the Dark Lord."

"Um, yes," he concurred. Although it was not exactly what he was going to say, he began to sit down anyway.

"Don't sit down!" Harry was in mid sit-down.

"But you've already said what I've got to say," he gave as his excuse.

"So? Say something I don't know," explained Prof. Gingernox, looking very unsatisfied.

"Um. I.." Malfoy snickered, and Harry thought of it. "I hate Draco Malfoy."

Everyone in the class made and "Ooooo" as if it wasn't already known to everyone but the teacher.

"Hey, now! We don't talk like that in my class!" exclaimed the Professor. "Now, where is Draco?"

Malfoy stood up.

"Right here," he declared looking very proud.

"Now, you hate him, too, Mr. Malfoy?" asked Professor Gingernox.

"Yes, very much."

Professor Gingernox nodded, looking very puzzled by this piece of information, and waved an arm for him to come forward.

"Right, now both of you come up here…" she said, and both Harry and Draco reluctantly came up to the front of the room. "And you two, hug."

They both turned to her with the look that displayed the extreme horror, shock, and angry, crazy surprise of what they perceived as the equivalent of suggested sex.

It was only a hug, but a hug to enemies was suicide. Painful, sadistic suicide.

The class roared with laughter, and they were both very stunned by it. She stood up and wrapped an arm around both their backs, attempting to make the space between them seem a little smaller.

"C'mon, one hug, guys," said Professor Gingernox. They both were sort of amused at the idea of hugging now. Both Harry and Draco looked at each other, and they started laughing on the spot. She could not be serious. But as they soon noticed that she was not laughing with them, but in fact, she looked like she was rather surprised by their own laughter. She was very, deeply, serious.

"You - you seriously want me to hug Malfoy?" Harry said, his laughing tone fading. She nodded. Harry was shocked.

"Yes, I think that if two people really hate each other, the start to getting over it would be to hug. Make up your differences and build a real relationship. You know. Embrace your enemy," she explained. "It's a theory of mine"  
"Some theory," remarked Malfoy. Professor Gingernox looked at him, same smile and content expression, but somewhat expectant.

"Say something, Mr. Malfoy?" asked the Professor. Malfoy remembered his manners and looked in every direction, but not at her.

"No, Professor."

"Now, if you be so kind as to hurry this up, hug," she commanded, patting them both on the back.

There was a long silence. Both Draco and Harry were eyeing each other like the other was a plate of cockroach fudge, overstuffed and expired. Both made no move to the other. Both were very afraid that touching the other may cause some cataclysmic chain of worse events and, perhaps(now this was going a little overboard), the end of the world.

Karen watched them, chin on her hand, looking very bored. She had never seen two people more reluctant to touch each other since she saw herself and Zach Stark in the mirror during the dutch dance. She wasn't quite sure if she should do something. She would much rather sit and watch the two struggle with the deed, under all the romantic, peace-loving pressure of the teacher. She glanced over her shoulder. She wondered where Skye was.

"Come on…" the Professor urged. "Can't go on like this forever."

Finally, Harry shakily opened his arms and attempted to take a step forward to a very wide eyed, frozen Draco, but then backed off and threw his hands into the air. He gave a very frustrated grunt. He did not wake up this morning, and predicted to be hugging Malfoy that day. He was not prepared for this sort of thing.

Malfoy gave a huge sigh of relief, as the Professor groaned. Kids laughed.

"Oh, it's not that hard!" declared the teacher.

"Yes, it is," muttered Harry, under his breath. The teacher, who was around their own height, put her hands on his shoulders and looked down at him. Harry held his breath. Never had someone so beautiful been this close, since Cho.

"Oh, Mr. Pottter, why can't you be just a brave as you are when facing the Dark Lord? Does physical interaction scare you that much?" asked Prof. Gingernox.

"Please don't call it that, Professor," murmured Harry.

"Well, it's not like it's going to hurt, Mr. Potter-" but both Harry and Malfoy cut her off.

"Oh, yes, it will!" they snapped. From the corner of her eye, Harry caught her looking at Malfoy very oddly. She let go of Harry and stepped aside.

"Well, you better hurry up and kill yourselves over it, or there will be no more time left in class to go over your first assignment," she said, walking over to her desk to sit down.

"In that case, keep it up!" called out Seamus. Professor Gingernox, shot him a dirty look. He cowered and sat back down.

The two boys glared at each other in a sort of standoff stance, waiting or watching for the other to make the first move.

After the first ten minutes, Harry was tired. Finally, he gave a great big sigh before he slumped over. He had given up. He raised his arms and walked two steps toward Malfoy. Malfoy instantly took two steps back.

Then, Harry realized it. He was scaring Draco.

"Oh, Dracoooooooooooo…"

"Stay away, Potter!"

"Come on, Draco! Let's make up our differences and build a real relationship!"

And then Harry proceeded to chase Malfoy around the room. Malfoy managed to knock down several chairs, a stack of textbooks, and one goldfish bowl before they were stopped and sent to their seats. They were both assigned a 12 inch essay on how they could get along better. They both gave each other penetratingly glares that could kill, putting the blame on the other.

Nonetheless, the class went on. Since too much time was used up anyway, Professor Gingernox ignored the rest of the class and continued with the first lesson: magic objects. She began with a simple example with a book which, when opened would emit a powerful scream which sent the onlooker backwards. The examples she gave reminded Harry of Tom Riddle's diary from his second year. He thought about it, especially when the Professor unrolled a large piece of parchment on the board and the moment she splashed it with ink, it disappeared. Harry, who had been leaning on his hand in what appeared in thoughtful study(which we all know was constant daydreaming), sat up with much interest.

Professor Gingernox was writing very clearly in curvy letters.

_I am Professor Jasmine Gingernox._

And the words began to fade into the paper. Harry was now on the edge of his seat as the words disappeared, and reappeared.

_Hello, Jasmine. I am Captain Vero Venom._

No one else 'cept Ron, Hermione, and him were paying much attention to the parchment talking back. No one else knew the extreme details of the Heir of Slytherin and the spell of the journal on Ginny. No one but those who needed to know, and certainly not the rest of the school.

Professor Gingernox was smiling, as she usually did, but with such an unusual situation. The paper was talking back, thought Karen. Wasn't that weird to her? Karen was watching attentively at the paper.

"Now, the thing about parchments like this and how to tell if it's safe or not, see here…" read aloud Professor, bending down to raise it up. "Now all you have to do is tap the four corners from left to right and then in the center with the tip of your wand, and there will appear either an x or a circle in the bottom right corner. X means no evil, and O means evil lurks here."

"Let's see. One, two, three, four, center…" and a O startling appeared.

"Now usually, a parchment like this, containing a dangerous memory, will be very subtle. Don't expect making friends and such. Does anyone remember Mr. Venom? Anyone learned 'bout him in History class, maybe?" asked the DADA Teacher. Harry and Ron both looked at Hermione, and when she noticed they were both looking at her she shook her head. Both of them were very much surprised.

"No? No one? How 'bout you, Neville? No? Well…" began Prof. Gingernox, "That's good, because Venom here, wasn't all the famous in the first place. He did nothing new of the sort, 'cept man a mediocre pirate ship and maybe steal a few chickens. However, he did, like many dark arts enthusiasts at the time, preserve a part of himself in books, and parchment, and random objects. This happens to be a piece of Vero Venom."

Hermione raised her hand.

"Yes"  
"Um, Professor, how did you get a hold of um, Mr. Venom?" asked Hermione. Professor Gingernox's face fell blank for a moment and then as she bit her tongue, she began to recall.

"Mmm, I think I got him from a friend of mine at the Ministry. I was just asking if they had any extra dark arts sort of things I could use to teach a class, but you know, not too dangerous. He gave me this, an old treasure map they'd found. It supposable leads to the lost treasure of Montezuma, but unfortunately, the map changed every time you try to reveal and soon enough they found Vero Venom on the back. See," She flipped over the parchment. She waved her wand and muttered something that could not be heard by the class, and a broad map appeared. "Once it disappears and reappears again…it leads to somewhere different. It's just an old, pirate captain, trying to confuse young kids to waste their lives by chasing a dream."

As soon as she turned it over, Vero Venom had written something in response to the turning of the parchment.

_Trying to find my treasure, eh?_

As some kids laughed, Prof. Gingernox began to roll the parchment back up. She looked up at the time and smiled.

"Oh look. Class is already over. Wow, that was fast. Best to start packing up, students. Time to leave."

Ron leaned over.

"Well, that was weird," he muttered to Hermione.

"Oh, I don't see what's so weird. She explained how she got it," said Hermione as she picked up her books into her arms. Harry didn't say anything. Harry just stuffed his things under an arm and walked over to Karen who was waiting by her desk with Cat.

"Why won't you tell me?" asked Harry. Karen blinked.

"Tell you what?" she asked, raising a brow.

"You know, about the 'transfer,'" he reminded her. She blinked at him, then narrowed her eyes, shrewdly.

"Why do you care? I said it was a secret," she said. "Respect my wishes and don't ask about it anymore"  
With that said, she stalked off, Harry groaned, and followed beside her quickstep.

"Wait! Karen!" called out Cat. She almost tripped over a chair as she attempted to catch up with the two.

"Karen, wait!" called Harry. When Karen didn't bother, Harry caught up.

"I'm sorry. I'll respect your privacy, okay?" he told her. She stopped.

"Really? You're not just saying that so then later, you can snoop around and get the answers, anyway, without my suspicion right?" asked Karen, eyeing peculiarly.

"Nope. Wait, what?" asked Harry. Karen smiled. She tucked an arm around his which made Harry feel a little weird, almost as if they were going on a date.

"Sooooo, what's up?" asked Karen.

"Huh? Oh, um, what's up… well, recently I've gotten two essays and detention and only from the first day of the new year. Also, I do believe I've found a new way to torture Draco…"

* * *

As soon as Cat dropped out of sight behind Karen and Harry who were walking together , Draco paid her a visit. 

"Oh no, what do you want?" she demanded as soon as he came into view. He bit back the urge to hex her. He swallowed deep and said.

"Relax, I only want to know your name," he told her, walking backward to talk to her.

"Really? What're you gonna do? Make fun of that, too?" Cat assumed as she shot him a dirty look.

"No, wait, is it, funny?" asked Malfoy, who couldn't help to break into smirk. Cat scoffed, shook her head and turned a corner. Draco bumped into some people, and when he stopped to sneer at them, Cat continued t walking. Draco had to catch up with her again.

"So it isn't funny? What is it?" he asked, determined to find out. Cat did not reply, looking away. Maybe he would go away if she ignored him.

"C'moooooooon. You know you want tooooooo," he teased her, trying to get a thrill out of her.

"Leave me alone!" she blurted out, and she ran up to join Karen and Harry who were in deep conversation of an unusual sort.

"…and that's when they made me their chief."

"Karen!"

By too much of a coincidence, thunder boomed as Cat grabbed a hold of her other arm.

"AAAAHH!"

Karen jumped 6 inches into the air, and her books exploded into the air.

CRASH.

"Haha… Hahaha…Hahahahahahaha!" Draco saw the whole thing and started laughing, attempting to keep the memory by pressing the sides of his head and throwing it back. Harry shot a dagger look at Malfoy.

There were other kids in the hall, no doubt, and they reacted the same as Malfoy, laughing and giggling as they passed.

"DON'T DO THAT!" snapped Karen at a cowering Cat.

"Sorry!" she apologized, as she began to help gather Karen's things scattered on the floor. Harry looked to the Hallway window and noticed it was as dark as it was at breakfast and lunch.

"It's still storming outside," he conluded.

"No duh, weatherman!" Cat scoffed as she stood back up and handed Karen her quill. "You know, that's the problem with human beings. They always feel the need to overstate things, like telling someone they're tall or blind. As if they didn't know. Mr. Obviousman…"

"Hey, I like that guy. I mean, he's right. ATM Machine? That's really overdoing it…" began Karen as she walked up to her. Harry followed them, and once he was them, Karen entwined another arm around his. He immediately snaked out of it.

"Why do you do that?" he asked, completely puzzled by the action.

"Do what? You mean the arm thing?" she asked. He nodded. "I don't know. Bad habit, I guess. Used to do it all the time with Skye, and my mom. Look, I'm even doing it with Cat."

Karen pointed, and she was right. Cat's arm was latched around Karen's.

"Oh," Harry blushed. He didn't know why he was blushing.

"If you don't like it, I won't do it, man," she said. Harry thought about it. He felt some peer pressure, but he wasn't sure if it was there.

"No, it's okay. I don't mind," he said. Karen smiled and entertwined an arm. "Just don't expect me to escort you to the loo"  
"Loo"  
"Bathroom, sweetie," confirmed Cat, and she let go as soon as they reached Divination classroom.

The Divination class room was of course, as Harry had left it last year. It didn't look like a classroom at all, more like a hidden forest inside school walls. Harry looked over to Karen and Cat who were completely baffled and immediately went back outside to check if they got the right classroom.

"You're in the right class room," said Ron who passed the two girls looking from their schedules to the door. "Why didn't you guys wait for me?"

Harry had forgotten all about Ron, and the moment he realized it, he looked guiltily at Ron.

"Sorry, Ron. I didn't mean to, I just forgot," he apologized. Ron rolled his eyes, and now he and Harry went to go take seats on the fallen log and wait for class.

When Karen and Cat finally decided it was the right classroom, they walked in, eyes flown open, and dashed over to another Gryffindor girl with blonde highlights in her hair and and black gloves that went to her elbows with the finger coverings cut off.

"SKYE!"

"KAREN! CAT!"

And since Karen and Cat were too much of a handle on Skye, they tackled her to the ground. The class roared with laughter, but Cat and Karen were too busy cuddling Skye to notice.

"We missed you…" crooned Cat as they both hugged her. Skye giggled.

"Haha, so it would seem.

"Okay, ladies, off my lawn," snapped a hovering head. Cat and Karen's eyes both flew open again, staring wide eyed at the hovering, half naked, half man.

"Okies…uh…sir," nodded Karen. And Cat and Karen both crawled off of Skye, and as they picked up their books look up to the half man. Karen dropped her books again, finally realizing what it was.

"YOU'RE A CENTAUR!" declared Karen very loudly.

Harry covered his eyes with a hand in embarrassment. Although it was not her fault, this was Karen's first year(or so it would seem, as Skye put it), and she was not used to the magical things of the wizarding world. However, one would think she would know what and what not to say. Cat who had been just shocked as she was, at least knew not to shout it. In a moment it took to realize the look of anger on the centaur's face, Skye reached out and grabbed Karen's and Cat's arms. She smiled nervously.

"I'm sorry, Professor Firenze," she apologized. "This is their first time here."

Firenze, blinked and nodded, folding his arms over his chest and tapped his front, right hoof.

"Alright. I guessed as much. Natural reaction," said the Teacher, giving them both an excuse. "I'll give you the responsibility of teaching them not to act up in my class again. Take your seats."

Skye smiled and nodded, "Yes, professor."

As Skye proceeded to lead them to where she was first sitting, Karen would not budge. Instead, she stood there, her head on a tilt and looking very confused.

"So wait, you're our Professor?" asked Karen. Firenze blinked.

"Yes, I am the Professor for Divination."

"Oh, neato. But how do you know about the future? Did you go to a Psychic school? Or was it something else? Were you born with the innate ability to see into the future?"

"No, I am a centaur. Centaurs don't go to school. We are tutored by the oldest ancestors of the tribe," and so Firenze began to explain again how Centaurs could tell the future from the stars and such, the whole long speech he gave to the class last year when he first became their teacher. Karen, somewhere along in the speech, had to sit down because it was longer story than she thought. Harry watche her as she sat somewhere with Skye and Cat who whispered something to her as soon as she settled down. Then they both caught Harry's eye, and Harry turned back to Firenze, listening to the same speech.

Majority of the class time was spent going over problems they didn't quite understand on their O.W.L.S. Divination was not something Harry was quite good at, but it something that didn't require a lot of thinking, instead, requiring more inborn skills. For a while, Harry thought he could see the present, but it just turned out, as it normally did, that he was just seeing things from his arch enemy's point of view. It was not as good as future-seeing talent he wished he possessed. Then he could tell when someone was going to be attacked, or even better, when he was going to be pop quizzed that day.

Since Cat hadn't been at Hogwarts the year before, she had no idea what they were talking about when they meant O.W.L.S, but she assumed it was something like the S.A.T.s that she had to take in her Junior Year. She remembered how nervous she was the first time she took, and now she groaned because she was bout to feel the same again if she had to take O.W.L.S this year.

"What is it?"

Cat looked over to Skye who was attentively watching her face with a worried look. Cat smiled softly and whispered.

"Nothing. Really."

"Karen says some guy was bugging you last period. Who was he so I can go beat him up?" asked Skye. If Cat was an anime character she would have a sweat drop dangling above her head. Since she wasn't her smile was just weakened.

_What is it with her and Karen and beating people?_ thought Cat

"Uh, no, don't do that," said Cat, although the offer was tempting her. She turned back her attention to Professor Firenze who was explaining the story behind a specific constellation he spotted in the sky earlier that morn. He was very fit, she realized, as fit as she expected centaurs to be, and as she realized what just came to her mind, she shook her head. She expected to be? What was there to expect? She had never known a centaur before. She went back to her little sketch of her new professor. She wasn't used to drawing centaurs, but somehow, Professor Firenze brought her new inspiration. As she began to sketch the blonde hair, immediately the boy before came to mind. His hair hung lazily in front his eyes and trimmed so well like paper strands. She shook her head and moved her pencil than her quill around the eyes and and eyebrows. Every so often she looked up and moved her pencil. She stared more at the teacher than at her paper, and in so doing, She developed a little crush, for indeed he was very good looking centaur. She mentally hit herself. Good looking centaur. When did she start thinking like this? A week ago, the words would never have come together.

"Sigh…" Skye looked over to Cat who was busy staring at the teacher and sketching in her notebook. She looked to be deep in thought in concentration that Skye thought she might as well journal, but as soon as Skye move to her bag, she saw something very curious behind her.

It looked to be an eyeball. A human eyeball.

Skye was frozen for a moment before she picked it up between the blades of grass and turned back around. Cat glanced over to Skye's hand, glanced back at the Professor, and then back at the eyeball to a stop. She stared for the longest time, breathless, speechless.

Skye stood up, still watching the eyeball, and as she began to take steps forward, the class and the Professor noticed.

"Miss Sonnat, what is…" His eyes widened.

Harry looked up.

Someone screamed.


	5. Gatsu no Himitsu

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading Chapters 1 - 4.

Song: The Back Horn - Gatsu no Himitsu

(something like "secret month")

* * *

Chapter 5. Gatsu no Himitsu

The human eyeball found in Professor Firenze's class was the topic for the rest of the day. Hagrid's Care of Magical Creature classes had been called off the day the following days due to bad weather. The storm as much as the eyeball topic continued restlessly, like a shoe that would not stop squeaking. Harry was growing tired of the thunder and of Karen's antics from the thunder.

During their time together, Karen had exploded her cauldron, asked if Professor Snape if hewanted to make out(rather shocking)(pratically gave him and Harry a heart attack)(it killed Ron), and invited more other house members to sit at Gryffindor table(A Ravenclaw and her friend). Cat was rather tameful and never participated in the pointless antics of her companion, and in fact, Harry was liking her more. She was rather beautiful and had a nice figure. Also, Harry was beginning to know Skye, Karen's other friend, who Harry remembered seeing down the hallway more that once the previous year. Even she, Harry considered, was more enjoyable company, than Karen. She was easy on the eyes, gorgeous even, and had a body to die for. Nonetheless, not wanting to change things, Harry spent most of his time with Ron and Hermione. For a while, Karen and Cat would tag along behind them.

A rumor had spread the Prof. Firenze ate human children, and that is where the eyeball came from: his last bad student. Harry could not believe it, even for a second. He thought the eyeball, was unusual of course, but coming from Prof. Firenze's last meal. No, it couldn't be. Harry knew Firenze was a vegetarian. He watched him eat at the Professor's table, and he never touched any of the meats. Nonetheless, this did not effect the rumor; fellow students just gave the excuse he only ate "human meat." There was not stopping this rumor. Not at all.

By the end of the week, the rain had still not stopped, and neither had the thunder. There was talk of flooding in the dungeon, and some of the second Noah's arc.

"So I say we pick two of each houses and put them on a boat.." joked Seamus Finnegan. It was study hall for the third time in Hagrid's class.

"Careful not to put Prof. Firenze on the boat or they'll be no Hogwarts studenst left to cultivate the earth!" joked Ernie Macmillian.

Ron scoffed, "Bloody idiots, they are."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were watching them from where they sat at study hall, whispering to each other and working on their steep homework that Snape had given them. Hagrid had no new assignments lately. Infact, he seemed to be in a rather sad state lately, always looking out to the Forbidden Forest in forlorn. Harry wondered if he regretted bringing his brother back from the giant colonies. Ever since then, the forest and the centaurs hadn't been so friendly with him. Harry sensed he missed some things, and Harry's heart hurt a little for him.

"You think they way they talk about Prof. Firenze it's like he was some sort of monster," remarked Hermione as she continued scribble. Harry looked away from Hagrid who was busy making leather harnesses for the thestrals and looking very depressed.

"I don't see the big deal about the eyeball," said Karen, who was sitting beside Harry. Ron stared at her.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"What? Don't you use eyeballs all the time in potions and stuff?" asked Karen. Cat was sitting across from her sucking on the end of her sugar quill she got down in Daigon Alley.

"Dried eyeballs, and non-human eyeballs, nonetheless. No, this eyeball was human and whole," explained Hermione. "And fresh, as if right off the kill."

They all stared at her. Thunder crashed, and Karen jumped again.

"Sometimes, Hermione," Ron gulped, "you're really scary, you know that?"

"Oh, get a hold of yourself," snapped Hermione, a blush rushing to her cheeks.

"If its fresh," began Harry, "maybe, the kill is still around there, in Professor Firenze's class room."

Now they all stared at Harry.

"Are you serious?"

"No, Ron, Harry's right! If there's an eyeball, then there has got be a body from where it came from, right?" Hermione deducted. "We just gotta figure out where-"

"Hermione, stop, stop…right there!" declared Ron, Hermione stopped, her finger on her chin and her arm folded under her breasts. "See what you're doing?"

Hermione looked down at how her arms were position and slowly moved them away.

"You're doing that thing you do when you want to go snooping around!" he told her. "We're head boy and head girl, now! Do you really want us to get caught poking around for dead bodies!"

Hermione's mouth fell open, and a look of extreme anger rose to her face. She bent low and forcefully whispered.

"It's not my fault I'm… inquisitive! Besides, you two are the bad influence me! So it's all your fault!" snapped Hermione.

Harry and Ron looked at each other, baffled, and then back at Hermione, speechless. Cat rolled her eyes and continued drawing. She never seemed to actually do any work although Professor Snape had given them enough homework to rival the rough draft of _War and Peace_. No, it always seemed Cat had everything under control.

"Wow, you guys are totally played," said Karen with a big smile on her lips and running a hand through her hair.

"Quiet, honey, the threesome is arguing," said Cat, dropping a Snape assignment in front of her eyes. Karen's smug smile faded.

"Oh yeah," She took it down and went back to scribbling. Now all three of them stared at her.

"We are not a threesome!" the trio said in chorus. They all shot weird looks at each other, then back at Cat who had not once looked up from her drawing.

"Is something' the matter?" asked Hagrid, making his presence drastically aware. Three of their hair became bristled with fear he may have heard them. They all turned around and looked up.

"N-No, nothing's wrong Hagrid!" declared Harry, shaking his head. Hagrid eyed them, not very convinced.

"Alright, just tell me if you need me. Fer any questions or stuff like that," Hagrid said lastly before going back to the table to fix more of the broken straps. Hermione turned back and glared furiously at Cat.

"Do you have to be so vulgar?" she snapped.  
"I'm not the one being vulgar," said Cat, not looking up.

"I hope you're not talking about me," said Karen, looking at Cat shrewdly.

"You are, too, being vulgar! That was foul, even if you were joking!" snapped Hermione.

"Who said I was joking? You guys are so tight together, it's a wonder you can breathe," remarked Cat.

"Then maybe you've never seen best friends before!"

"I've seen best friends, but never have I seen a girl be best friends with boys without dating either one of them or both of them."

Harry and Ron didn't know what to make of the conversation. Harry was disgusted with the idea of doing anything more than hand holding with Ron or Hermione, and he was sure Ron and Hermione felt the same way. But Hermione was taking it too seriously in his opinion. And in a way, she had right. He hadn't expected Cat to say something like that.

"I'm not dating Harry," Hermione said, half laughing, half serious. Cat finally looked at her, then back at Ron and Harry's bewildered expression. She smiled and leaned on the table.

"Who said anything about Harry?" asked Cat.

There was a special moment. Hermione was staring at Cat with a blank face as the wheels were turning in all of their heads. The mask that Hermione was wearing was beginning to crack, and the curtain that stood between Ron and Hermione's true feeling's suddenly became drawable. Just then, Karen decided to but in.

"Hermione, do you like-"

"SHUT UP!"

Hermione threw a book at Karen, hitting her right in the face the same time as thunder boomed, causing Karen to fall out of her seat. Thankfully, her skirt did not go up, and if it did, Harry thought he would be sure to pull it down.

Hagrid stood up.

"Hermione! Why in the world did yeh do that?"

Hermione was in the frozen state of an arm extended and her body pressed over her work.

"Karen, you okay?" asked Cat, getting out of her seat to help her up. Cat had to pry the book away from Karen's tightly clenched fingers, but behind it was a look Harry had not expected. Her eyes were tightly closed and as soon as she pulled the book out of her hands, she clamped them over her eyes and cried.

It was very awkward. Karen there, crying on the ground, and Hermione standing there with her hand posed and all of them just staring as Hagrid hurried over to see what was wrong.

* * *

For the first time, in a very long time, against much relunctance from the teacher, Hermione had detention. She had been assigned to help Hagrid feed the thestrals out in the storm. It was not a very enjoyable assignment, even if she was helping a good friend.

Meanwhile, Ron and Harry were sitting toasty warm inside Gryffindor Tower still doing homework. Every so often Ron would glance over to Harry, and Harry was beginning to notice. Finally he spoke up about it.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I was just wondering. We haven't see Karen since Hagrid's class," said Ron. "She usually follows you around like another Colin Creevy."

Harry didn't say anything. He was very thankful she wasn't around to bother him and say obscene things.

"Where's that girl who's usually with her? Tall blonde, very nice looking," Ron mused, looking around.

"Skye Sonnat. I don't know where she is," Harry replied, still writing.

For a while it was quiet between them while Pavrati and Lavender could be heard on the sofa, gossiping away. Although Harry's hand was busy bullshitting all over his Potions essay, Harry's mind was deep in thought over Hermione and Ron. He wondered if maybe he should bring it up with Ron.

"Ron," began Harry. He stopped writing and looked at the top of his red head bent over the books. "About today in class-"

SLAMN!

A crash of thunder boomed and for an instant the fire in the fireplace went out. Pavrati and Lavender shrieked and Ron's quill squeezed out a ton of ink. The lightning lit up a girl's face by the portrait hole. It was Skye. She went running through the common room and up the girl's dormitory steps, Harry watching her all way. Suddenly the fire came back.

"Geez that was weird! Who was that?" wondered Ron, sitting back from his overload. Harry was staring at the girl's dormitory entrance.

"That was Skye, she just came in," said Harry. She shook his head, and he looked back at Ron. "Ron, about today. Why didn't you get mad at Cat?"

Ron stared at Harry, and the tips of Ron's ear turned pink. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"I don't know. Hermione didn't really need any help," said Ron. "Besides, why didn't you but in?"

"Because it's not…" _It's not her fault she's American_, thought Harry. "It's not kosher."

Ron raised a brow.

"Kosher?"

* * *

Draco was miserable. He hated to admit it, but he was miserable little git. All he could think about was that girl and how he humiliated her and how she and that stupid Potter and his Super Friends has humiliated him. That's what he hated so much about Harry Potter. He was a hero, an unorthodox hero, at that. He was school's hero, and Draco was the school's prince. They were practically tied but Harry was the good guy and Draco was the bad guy and he couldn't see why no one else noticed the roles were wrong. Harry had no parents, he lived with angry, stupid muggles, Harry should be stupid, ugly, pissy git, not him. And then when he thought about Cat, the girl he couldn't get out of his head since that day on the train, he now had this picture in her mind with a painful look on her face. Hurt and angry, and odd enough, Draco felt no happiness.

"No, I drink my coffee nude," said someone near by. Draco was in the common, slouching on the leather couch. At that statement, Draco's attention was "mysteriously" grabbed. He glanced around.

"Excuse me?" he sneered, ungratefully. A handsome boy looked up from his textbook in his lap.

"What?" he asked. Draco narrowed his eyes at him and eyed the clueless people around him shrewdly.

"Didn't someone just say they drank their coffee nude?" asked Draco. All four of them looked at him weird.

"Nooooooo," a blond girl beside him replied. Draco rolled his eyes, and that's when he spotted her. The same girl who haunted his brain. She was siting over by Millicent Bulstrode, drinking butterbeer.

"So this is butterbeer," Cat mulled over. She was watching it warily as if it would suddenly attack. Millicent Bulstrode made a grunt of what Cat presumed was a "yes." She translated most of Millicent's grunts into "yes", and "no", and sometimes "I don't like you."

Since Cat was unable to take Karen to her dorm, not knowing where it was or even the password to get in. Karen's incoherent ramblings between sobs were no help at all, she was lucky enough to have run into Skye who just came out of an "out of order" bathroom. Skye took it from there.

"Grunt," Millicent darted her eyes sideways from Cat to someone approaching. Cat made the mistake of turning to see and instantly regretted it.

"Oh God, it's him," she whispered, covering the side of her face with a hand. What the hell does he want?

"Oh, put that hand down; I'm not here to spit in your face!" Draco snapped. He shook his head at Millicent.

"Get up, let me sit there," he told her. Millicent gave him a look of extreme anger, and bitterly got up. Cat was shocked.

"Hey! That wasn't nice! Millicent, how can you let him push you around like that!" Cat demanded, giving the masculine girl a look of disbelief. Millicent shot Malfoy a dirty look then shrugged at Cat and went off. Cat turned back to Malfoy.

"You're blackmailing her, aren't you? Why is does everyone have to be so mean to her?" demanded Cat, setting down her mug. Malfoy shrugged.

"Now, down to business-"

"Excuse me!" snapped Cat. "Who said I wanted to talk with you?"

With that, Cat attempted to get up and leave, but someone shoved her down. It two was a larger boy, much larger than herself, big and bulky, small eyes, far apart, and wearing ugly expressions.

"Please, don't leave this time. I've been trying to talk to you all week, but you've been avoiding me," said Draco. She glanced at both of the towering bodies and grimaced. She didn't like the idea of being held hostage.

"Now, it's come to my mind that may have embarrassed you a few days ago," Draco confessed. Cat laughed bitterly.

"Oh yeah, you think? You shamed me in front of my…" Cat was about to say "friends" but she reconsidered the title over the past arguments with both the red head and his secret admirer "Miss Propriety." She started again, "You shamed me in front of my friend's new friends!"

"I understand, but you also embarrassed me in front of my nemesis and his lollipop gang," Draco replied. There was a twitch at Cat's mouth, and Draco could of sworn it was smile, but she still seemed quite bitter. Yet again, Draco had reached a point, and that is where he would start. He was determined to crack this girl, at all costs.

"Not my problem if there are holes in your self esteem," scoffed Cat.

"Nonetheless, I would like to inform you, it won't happen again," Draco told her.

"What, you picking on me?" asked Cat, making a face.

"Well, no, I can't promise you that-"

"So then, what are you promising me?" asked Cat, leaning over to lean on her knees. Draco was the one who made a face this time.

"What're you getting at?"

"I don't know, what're you getting at?"

Draco stared at her, good and hard for the longest time before leaning back.  
"Look, I just don't want you to go on thinking I'm a worthless, smelly git," he confessed. Cat rose her eyebrows.

"Well, is there anything you want to share with me that'll change my mind?" asked Cat. Draco stared at her and didn't blink for a minute. Then he leaned forward, and he motioned for his henchmen to leave them which they did. He curled his finger for her to move closer. Cat darted a sideways look nervously, then came forward, and he leaned even closer to whisper in her ear.

"People aren't defined by what they say, but what they do," he muttered in her ear, then, Draco leaned forward and kissed her lips very softly. When she didn't kiss back, Draco kissed her again. Cat was in a state of shock, until someone screamed.

A girl on a couch across the room screamed, and Draco shot straight up, and marched away to the boy's dormitory leaving Cat there like a scene paused on tv. Cat did not move until someone viciously slapped her with the back of the hand.

"You bitch!" the blonde girl snapped who screamed before. Cat still did not move, her face bent facing the wall, and the blonde girl stood there, waiting for a reaction which she only got after she became impatient and began to walk away. Cat got out of her seat, turned her around and poured butterbeer down her shirt until her boobs were steaming. The girl screamed again. Cat shoved her to the ground and prepared to beat the living shit out of her if it weren't for Millicent Bulstrode who picked her off the ground and took her struggling up the dormitory steps away from what she knew would be her last stand at Hogwarts if continued through normal procedure.

What a way to end to a Thursday.

* * *

When Hermione finally came back from detention, she found the common room empty except for Harry who was sitting all alone, in front of the fire, playing chess with Nearly Headless Nick.

Harry was busy thinking when she walked in.

"Ugh," Hermione grumbled as she dumped her wet bag by the fire and took off her soaking wet robe. She accidentally splatted Harry and their house ghost.

Harry winced and smeared the drops off him.

"Oh, you'll live, Harry," Hermione remarked. She sighed and slumped into a chair taking a minute or two to breathe. Then it came to her. Karen was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Karen? I want to apologize for this afternoon"

"Upstairs, I think," said Harry.

"Is she still crying?" asked Hermione, growing a worried look.

"I don't know. Haven't seen her since she left Care for Magicl Creatures class," said Harry. Hasn't come down, yet either, thought Harry. He moved his knight.

"Hmmm," Sir Nicholas thought loudly.

"Aren't you worried?" asked Hermione. "Aren't you two friends or something?"

"No, I mean, at least I don't think so," he told her. "She only follows me around and stuff because she feels the need to stay friends with me just because we met on the train. It was okay for a while, but now it's just annoying. She's really weird, and her fear of thunder is really starting to bug -"

CRASH.

A slipper flew out of nowhere and hit the chessboard. Pieces went flying everywhere, including into the fire where you could hear tiny screams of plastic men.

Harry, the ghost, and Hermione whirled around to see a one slippered pair of legs running up the steps.

"-me."

"AH! And I was just winning, too! That girl has some issues to deal with!" declared Sir Nicholas.

Harry turned to look at Hermione who was looking very unnerved. That girl, was definitely Karen, make no mistake.

"She didn't have to throw it," said Hermione. "But then again, the same could be said for me"  
Hermione sighed. "Look, Harry, I'm going up to bed. G'night."

Harry looked into the fire, feeling her hand on his shoulder that drifted away.

"G'night."

* * *

For a whole day, Karen did not sit, stand, or even breathe the same air as Harry. Neither did Cat either. Both avoided looking at him, and his friends. Harry was grateful they weren't bugging him; it was a nice reprieve. But despite enjoying his privacy with his "normal" friends, he had to say he didn't really like it. He was constantly feeling the stabs of daggars being thrown at him in the back. After lunch is when Harry began feeling the daggars being exchanged for a heavy weight on his back like he had done something wrong. Like guilt. He felt pain in his eyes when he looked in the mirror, not like he was going to cry, but like he couldn't look at himself and be happy. And indeed, he did know that what he said last night wasn't very nice, but he had not regretted it. It was the truth, and saying it made him feel expressed. He hadn't intended for her to overhear, but now that she knew, there was no turning back. What was said, was said, and what was done, was done. Harry partly blamed her, and in so doing, he continued to live under the invisible weight.

"Ugh, Hermione, what did you get for the equivalent of fairie yoke?" whispered Ron, five minutes before turning in all written assignments. It was the next day, and they were in Potions class which had been moved to another class on a higher floor. In the back of the room, he saw Karen, Cat, and Skye, all sitting together in the reflection of the small patch of shine on Prof. Snape's cauldron. Skye was leaning over and saying something to her as she motioned to things on a piece of parchment. Karen was nodding, and then for a moment, Harry could have sworn Karen had caught him looking . Harry turned his eyes back to his textbook.

"Honestly," Hermione sighed, she began flipping through the textbook and landed on the exact page. Hermione was still not on good terms with Karen either, for strange reasons. She said she had apologized, but she had been anymore friendly to her as a kitchen cabinet.

"Its on this page. Looks quick, because that's all I'm going to help you with," she told him. Ron quickly scanned down the page and found the answer. Ron had never been on good terms with Karen or Cat to begin with, but then again, Ron never made good first impressions, not since he met Harry.

SLAMN.

The door shut suddenly, and Professor Snape, as always, came waltzing into the room, his black robe flowing behind like a dementer. He whirled around, and just in time, Ron slapped his homework in the bin.

"Perfect timing, Mr. Weasely, as always to turn in a late assignment," he snidely remarked. Ron didn't look at him, afraid it would be too fiercely annoying to cost Gryffindor points. Nonetheless, Professor Snape never turned down an opportunity.

"Five points from Gryffindor," he uttered between thin lips. "Now, turn in your books to page 59 where we will continue in our study of bone curing and cut curing potions. Yes, Miss Harthombs."

Harry looked over his shoulder to see her hand drop down from the air.

"That's Hartholmes, sir," she corrected. Harry turned back just in time to see the hated teacher eyes narrow.

"What?" he demanded.

"Hartholmes. As in every 'Hart has a home,' sir," she explained. He folded his arms over his chest.

"Whatever, now what is your question?" asked Professor Snape.

"I was wondering if there was a potion say to cure a vampire? Has anyone made something like that?" asked Karen. Snape's brow furrowed, as if he was pondering if he should take ten points from Gryffindor or fifty.  
"Unlike broken bones and cuts and bruises, Miss Harholmes, vampir is a disease. It is nearly anincurable curse," he told her.

"But werewolf is an incurable curse, and there is Wolfsbane," Karen replied. Now she had everyone's attention. Their little class discussion was quite unusual in class unless it was between Hermione and him.

Harry noticed worry lines were developing ins Professor Snape's forehead.

"What about Wolfsbane?"

"Doesn't it cure the werewolf?" asked Karen.

"No, it does not. It needs to be taken each full moon for the rest of the werewolf's life andonly relieves the monthly process.Now I'll ask you to stick to the topic, Miss Hartholmes, and ask questions that NEED answering," he sneered. Professor Snape turned back to his book, and Karen looked away.

But before Snape could even begin his lecture there was a loud crash of thunder.

An echo rang that sounded like a loudspeaker.

"ALL STAFF MEMBERS REPORT TO THE STAFF ROOM AT ONCE!" echoed Prof. McGonagall's voice. A look of extreme annoyance and distaste came across his face, and he left the room abruptly with last words forming a threat.

"Anyone who leaves this room or enters my supply room will find themselves hanging by their pinkies in the dungeon with Mr. Filch for the remainder of the day."

As soon as she slammed the door once more, there was another crash of thunder, and this time, the fire in the wall torches went out permanently.

"Eeek!"

"ALRIGHT!"

"Shhh! He'll hear you!"

"He can't hear nobody, he's gone down to the staffroom!"

"Does this mean class's over?"

"KAREN!"

Harry whirled around to see, as lightning flashed, that Karen was no longer in her seat and a bent figure was over her. He stood up suddenly.

"She's not breathing!"

And his heart stopped.


	6. Reptilia

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading Chapters 1-5.

Song: The Strokes - Reptilia

* * *

Chapter 6. Reptilia

Cat couldn't think about anything else but the kiss. Well, two kisses, if you counted the one sort of added on. Nonetheless, the touch and feel played over and over in her mind like a dvd that had a scratch and would not stop repeating. She couldn't stop wondering about the meaning, the purpose of kissing her. She was usually so bright when it came to picking up the tiny details and forming a clear theory. She knew when two people liked each other, she knew when there was sexual tension, and she knew when someone was mad at the other. So why is she couldn't figure anything out between herself and the blonde haired prince.

Wait, blonde haired prince? But Cat didn't have much time to think of that. As soon as Snape shut the door, thunder boomed, and Karen fells backwards in her seat.

The lights when out.

"Karen, you okay?"

No reply.

Some girl shrieked, an kids began arguing, but Cat didn't think of it. Lightning flashed and Cat could see Karen's stone cold face and splatter of what looked like blood in an instant of light.

"KAREN!"

Cat bent down and another blast of lightning flashed. Several seconds later, another boom, but Cat was too busy. Too much in chaos.

"Karen!" she shouted, turning her over and shaking her.

"What's going on?" muttered another kid, more students loomed around. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Skye, creeping along the wall, but she was too panicky, to call her over or even ask what she was doing. Cat pressed her head against her chest.

"She's not breathing!" exclaimed Cat. There was another lightning flash, and another boom. It seemed the thunderstorm was right above Hogwarts, now, when for some time, it was just a mile or two away.

"What is it - what's wrong?" asked Hermione and Ron, pushing past the barrier of classmates.

"She won't wake up," Cat exclaimed, holding Karen's bleeding head. "Oh my God, Karen, please wake up, please, baby."

"Does anyone know the Reanimate spell!" called out Ron.

"No, that's too dangerous! And no one here is at that wizarding level yet!" snapped Hermione.

Just then, Harry squeezed past Hermione and Ron.

"Do CPR!"

"CPR? What the hell is CPR!" demanded Ron.

" CPR…" began Cat. "CPRCPRCPR, goddamit, what are the steps, um." Cat put Karen back on the ground, opened her mouth, and began pumping her chest, counting silently. She then put her lips back to Karen's mouth.

"No, that's not going to work! She's been knocked out, not drowned!"

"How do we even know she's knocked out! She has no pulse, she's got to be-"

"SHUT UP!" screamed Cat. She pumped again, and tried to breath back into Karen. "It's not working"  
Harry glanced around.

"Everyone back up!" he shouted. "You heard, me, back up, give her some air!"

Even though some were tripping over the desks and chairs.

"It's still no working!" Cat cried out.

"Here, give her, here," Harry declared. Cat hesitated, but Harry pulled Karen into his arms, pulled out his wand and shouted.

"_Ennervate_!"

It didn't work.

"Shit," cursed Harry.

"We gotta get her to Madame Pompfreys!" Hermione shouted above the other kids suggestions. Harry picked up her legs, and was miraculously able to carry the girl's dead weight. He carried her to the door, and Hermione tried to open it.

"Goddamit, that teacher trusts no one! _Alohomora_!"

"Hermione!" snapped Ron, who had never heard her say anything worse than "bloody."

And the moment they stepped out of the room, they came face to face with Professor Snape.

"What ARE you doing!" he demanded. With one look from Karen to Harry, Harry felt the situation had increased from bad and gone straight up to worst.

"This isn't what it looks like."

* * *

"Out! Out, everyone out!" shouted Madam Pompfrey, and everyone who was not Snape, Madam Pompfrey, and Karen were scooted out of the room. As soon as the double doors shut, Skye jumped in front of Cat. 

"Scary, huh?" asked Skye. Cat looked up, her mouth fell open in expression of astonishment.

"Where were you!" snapped Cat. "Didn't you see! What's with you creeping against the wall! You could've helped you know! Karen's probably dead, for all we know!"

"Oh don't worry, that was all a set up. She just sleeps dead as a doornail. You know. Sleeps like a dead corpse."

Cat's mouth whose mouth was closed for only a second now fell open in shock.

"You mean…" Cat glanced around and pulled Skye aside.

"You PLANNED ALL OF THIS!" demanded Cat in a whisper between clenched teeth. Skye nodded. Cat opened her mouth to shout, but all she could do was flare her nostrils, raise her hands and muffle a scream.

Cat dragged her into an out of order bathroom.

"HOW DARE YOU TEST MY EMOTIONS!" she screamed so loud that Skye's hair blew back.

"Relax, I-"

There was a splash of water, and both of them turned around. No one was there. Suddenly a girl in round glasses and pigtail hair flew face to face with Cat.

The listened, frozen. Then just as Cat was about to turn around, thinking it was just some piece of ceiling that fell.

"STOP SHOUTING! YOU'RE RUINING MY MOURNING!" she shouted in Cat's face. Then she went screaming in high pitched voice, spiraling in all the air before breaking into a stall and straight into a toilet with a giant splash, greater than the first.

Skye grabbed Cat by the arm.

"Let's go up to Gryffindor Tower. I'll explain the rest," she told her.

* * *

Harry was sitting in Herbology which was forced to take place in another class room thinking only about Karen and whether or not she was still alive. He couldn't stop seeing her pale face, cold and as dead as Cedric. He never got to apologize, to either of them. 

As soon as it came time for lunch, Harry raced to Healing Hall, and as soon as he got there, Karen resembled Snow White, her legs close together, her hands folded just under her breasts. Her head was propped by a pillow and her hair spilled all over it like black madness.

Harry walked to the bed, fell to his knees, and buried his head in his arms. Suddenly there was a crash of lightning just outside the window and the loudest boom of thunder he had heard in five days.

With it, Karen jumped up and screamed.

"AAAAAAAH!" She was now standing around fists balled up and breathing heavily as if prepared to fight whatever had woken her. Harry was fallen back on the ground, staring wide eyed, and mouth hanging open.

"You're alive!" he declared. Karen, still breathing hard, blinked, and must've felt a little woozy because her feet collapsed underneath her. She covered her eyes, then rubbed them.

"Oh my God, I feel like a train wreck. Where am I? What happ-"

Harry hugged Karen so hard, she thought he was going to have a break down and break her spinal cord in the process. He took a deep breath.

"My God," he mumbled. "I thought you were gonna die."

Karen didn't say anything. Now she felt bad.

"Just like Cedric."

Karen tried to hug him back.

"Just like Sirius."

But she found it wasn't just guilt that was holding her back. His arms were tightly wrapped over her arms so there was no way she could really move them.

"Karen, I'm sorry," he apologized. He pulled back. "I'm sorry, I just…"

Karen smiled.

"Hey. Who cares? Really, you're not the first to say I'm -"

"No, I care. Honestly, I care, I really do," he told her, shaking his head. "That was mean to say, even when I thought you weren't in the room. Gossip is horrible. Trust me, I know. I'm sorry."

"Hey, I was stupid, too. I should learn when to back off. Sixteen years of living with sensitive people, and I still don't know when to give people space and what and what not to say," said Karen. She took a deep breath. "So I guess I'm sorry, too."

"No, you're not. You don't get it; no, you don't get it." Harry was beginning to ramble, and he was very aware of it. He couldn't help it. Every second, every minute felt like sand in his hands with her. What if she dropped dead in just two seconds, one, two - dead before even getting it.

"What don't I get? You're sorry. I'm sorry. Let's be friends, not stalker and stalkie," she said, raising her pinky. Harry looked at her, then looked at the pinky. That once little, cold, dead pinky.

Karen was getting weirded out, this time. He wouldn't stop staring at her pinky. She twiddled it in his face until she finally bopped him on the nose with it.

"Am I…making an obscene gesture or something?" she asked nervously. Harry blinked and looked her in the eyes.

"I'm sorry, what"

"Stop that"

"Stop staring"

"Stop saying 'I'm sorry.' Well, stop staring, too."

"Why, is it bugging you?"

"HARRY GET A GRIP!" she snapped. "You're freaking me out! What, you thought I was dead! I was just knocked out for a little…oh my god, is that the real time! I am so late!"

Karen quickly got off the bed but after taking two steps she collapsed again.

"Ow, holy cheese on rye, ow," she groaned. Harry helped her up.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I don't know but my legs feel like chicken legs only goosey-er," she replied. Her stomache growled. "Ow, I'm hungry."

"Ow?" wondered Harry.

"Miss Hartholmes!" They both looked up to see Madam Pompfrey, an old woman of medium height, making way toward them. "You are going nowhere for the rest of the day! Harry, do help her back into bed, please."

"Nuu! Quiz today! Gotta find necklace! GAH!" she shouted, mildly struggling. Harry pushed her back onto the bed. Madam Pompfrey was bringing a tray of delicious food.

"Karen!" A girl in Raven claw clothes rushed into the room, her black asian hair flowing behind her. If it weren't for the glasses, Harry would've thought it was Cho. "Karen, I just heard the rumours. Are you okay!"

"I'm grammatically correct, if that's what you mean," she told her.

"That's what I mean," said the girl. "Whew."

Karen must've noticed Harry's awkward feelings of not belonging because that's when she introduced him.

"Lisa, this is Harry Potter. Harry, this is Lisa Minne," she introduced them. Harry held out his hand.

"Hello," he greeted. Lisa grinned almost cat-like.

"Hi!"She shaped her hand into a fist, holding it out to him. Harry stared at it, wrapped his hand over it, and shook the fist. "Um, yeah, that's fine."

"Lisa, remember that guy I told you about? The one I met on the train. Well, he's Harry," she told her. Lisa looked Harry up and down.

"He doesn't look Satanic."

"Yeah, I had second thoughts, too."

* * *

"So, wait, what's the answer to Number 4?" asked Cat who was mulling only a few more thousand things in her head. 

"Check page 39, bottom paragraph," answered Skye, sitting just across from her in the library. Cat sighed and flipped through the book. She began rubbing her temple as she felt a horrible head ache coming on.

"Have you spoken to him, yet?" asked Skye, quietly enough so that Cat could hear, but not the librarian who was sitting rather close than necessary.

"Spoken to who?" Cat asked, scanning down the paragraph. "Meriwhether….Tortelli… Zambique!"

Cat scribbled down the answer onto her parchment.

"You know, Draco Malfoy," she said making a disgusting face. Cat looked up for a second then back to her paper.

"No," she spat out.

"Well, why not?" she asked. Cat slammed the book closed.

"Why do you want me, too?" she asked, rather loudly.

"Books are not for slamming, young girl!" snapped the Librarian from afar, shooting a punishing look. Skye turned back to Cat.

"I don't, but you've got to tell him that you're just not interested. Otherwise, he'll keep pursuing you," replied Skye in a small whisper. "Draco Malfoy may be an worthless, smelly git, but he is ambitious and determined. If he wants something, he'll go to no ends to get it."

"Some would consider that an admirable quality," hushed Cat before going to back to working. Skye would not let it go, she continued, staring at her blankly.

"You like him, too, don't you!" accused Skye. Cat was baffled.

"I do not!" she whispered back.

"You just said you liked him FOR his persistence! You're just playing hard to get!" snapped Skye.

"Am not!"

"Yeah, buddy!"

"Shut up!"

"Ladies, if I have to address you again, you will be removed from the library!" snapped the librarian to Skye and Cat who were reaching above whispering level once again.

"I do not like him. I just said 'SOME' as in 'SOME PEOPLE,' not me, would like that in a boy," whispered Cat.

"Yeah, well, Fox news says that to, but usually they mean just themselves!" Skye told her.

"Ugh, I can't believe this. I love you Skye, but you gotta let some things go!" Cat snapped as she began gathering her stuff.

"There you go with the 'some' again! You are so infatuated!" called Skye after her.

"No yelling in Library!" the Librarian cried out as she waved her wand. Skye's things began to float, and knowing the routine, Skye raced out of the library before the Librarian could make her things beat her all the way.

Once she was out, and her things fallen at her feet, a frustrated Skye called back.

"Child abuser!"

* * *

SLAMN! 

Cat was climbing out of the portrait hole and down the steps into the Slytherin Common Room. Some began whispering; a certain blonde haired girl was shooting daggers at her with a fixated glare. Cat glanced around the room scanning for the prince of Slytherin. When she saw he was no where in sight, Cat flopped her books onto the table next to a few 2nd years and began to work there.

"Hey, we're working here!" exclaimed the 2nd years.

"Oh. Well, there's no other table available. I'm not going to bother you," she told them.

"Bug off," squeaked a 2nd year girl.

"Excuse me?" spat Cat. "That's uncalled for."

"Sod off, then!" snapped another 2nd year. "OWOWOWOWOWOW!"

Draco was grabbing the boy's hair and pulling it very painfully.

"Get up, you little twits," snapped Draco, shooting them all a dirty venom. They all stared wide eyed before quickly gathering their things and moving away. Cat sat down most bitterly in an empty seat.

"You didn't have to do that. I am eighteen; I am very capable of handling children," Cat grumbled.

"Didn't look like it to….You're eighteen?" asked Draco, surprised as he turned around a seat to sit in it backwards. Cat grinned slyly.

"Lemme guess, still sixteen?" asked Cat. Draco glanced away a flush a pink reached his pale cheeks. He mumbled something about older women.

"What was that?" asked Cat, raising a brow.

"Nothing," he said very clearly, looking back at her. Cat eyed him for a while before turning to her work and opening her Potions textbook. Draco wrapped his arms over the back of the chair and rested his chin on them. He continued to stare at Cat as she worked.

"Don't you have work to do?" asked Cat.

"No, I usually letone of the 7th year girls to do it for me," said Draco, still watching her.

"That's cheating, you know," she told him.

"If the broom flies, don't fix it," he replied. "If you're eighteen, what're you doing in a 6th year's class?"

"I…" Cat thought of transfer, but that didn't sound right. "Ahem, for about two years I was stranded on a desert island with two rich old people, a professor, his assistant, a movie star, a captain and a skipper."

"Really?" asked Draco, quite shocked and suspicious. "I don't remember seeing you during third year. And the Sorting Hat did sort you out."

Crap, thought Cat.

"Well, for a while I went to another wizarding school before going to this one," answered Cat, trying to focus on her essay.

"Oh. In America?" laughed Draco. Cat glanced up.

"What's so funny about America?" asked Cat.

"Nothing 'cept America is so bloody stupid, it's a wonder you were able to transfer to such a highclass school as Hogwarts. But then again, Hogwarts has gone to the dogs ever since Dumbledore became headmaster."

Cat fumed.

"LOOK AMERICA MAYBE A STUPID COUNTRY OBSSESSED WITH SEX, WEIGHTLOSS, AND FASTFOOD, BUT DON'T GO SAYING I'M STUPID JUST BECAUSE I WAS BORN THERE!" shouted Cat at Draco blowing his hair back. Everyone in the room was stunned, but Draco took it like he was used to it everyday.

"Good lord, I didn't say you were stupid," spat Draco. "Calling you stupid, now, that would be stupid."

Cat, still upset, began flipping through the potions book again but more violently.

"Careful, or you'll tear a page," he told her.

"Shut up," grumbled Cat, and that's when she tore a page, right down the middle of paragraph about the uses of shark kidneys. Draco waited in silence as Cat began to dig in her bag for some scotch tape, and when she pulled some out, she began to tape up the page.

"Don't say it," she told him.

"Told you so," he told her so.

"I told you not to say it."

"Who says I obey whatever you tell me?"

Cat turned to him, glaring at his evil smirk.

"I despise you," she spat at him.

"Do you?"

" I do."

"Good, I wouldn't have it any other way."

And with that, he kissed her again.

* * *

Harry was just coming back from detention(given to him by Professor Snape) to see if Karen was out of the Hospital wing yet, when he spotted two people were already waiting along with Ron and Hermione. 

"Harry!" exclaimed Hermione. "She's okay!"

"I know, I saw her at lunch," said Harry.

"Oh, well, have you met Lisa and Jamie?" asked Hermione. Ron was standing around with her, his arms folded over his chest looking very displease being there. Harry looked over to Lisa dressed in her Ravenclaw robes, and then to the Hufflepuff boy beside her. He looked to be around the same height as Karen, with brown hair, brown eyes, and a big smile.

"Come to see Karen again?" asked Lisa. Harry nodded.

"Hi, I'm Jamie Jettison," Jamie introduced himself, holding out his hand. Harry was glad he knew this handshake.

"Hi, I'm Harry Potter," he introduced himself. Then out of nowhere, Jamie hit Harry in the nose.

POW.

"HARRY!" exclaimed Ron and Hermione. Harry was shocked, holding a bloody nose.

"Geez, Jamie!" exclaimed Lia, mouth open and one eyebrow raised in state of confusion.

"He didn't block! Why didn't you block!" demanded Jamie. "Everyone knows you're supposed to block!"

"Why the bloody hell did you do that!" demanded Ron. Hermione was trying to pry Harry's hands away to see his damaged state, but Harry shooed her away.

"Iths obay, I'm bine," he mumbled. He felt his eyes water from the pain.

"Crap, I'm sorry," apologized Jamie. "For a minute there, I thought you knew you the thing."

"Vat?" wondered Harry. Lisa rolled her eyes. The doors of the hospital wing swung open, and Madam Pompfrey's head popped out. From one look from Harry to Jamie, she shrieked.

"James Jettison! That is the third one this week! Honestly! You ghastly Americans and your roughhousing!"


	7. Clocks

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading Chapters 1-6.

Song: Coldplay - Clocks

* * *

Chapter 7. Clocks 

It turned out Karen was not in the Hospital wing at all, so Ron, Hermione, and Harry decided to return to the Gryffindor Common Room, thinking she may be there. As soon as Ron and Hermione walked through the portrait hole, Skye came out the other side just to stop Harry from entering.

"Did you just come back from the Hospital wing?" asked Skye.

"Um, yes, but Madam Pompfrey said she already sent her back to the tower at the end of the day," said Harry. A worried look passed over Skye's face.

"She's not here."

"What?"

"I can't find her anywhere. I need to talk to her, desperately."

"What do you need to talk to her about so desperately?"

"Which is more lethal, a penguin with lazer vision, or a lazer with penguin vision?"

Harry's head swam with unwanted images.

"Um, right. Let's go look for her."

"How? Students aren't aloud to go walking at night! We could get expelled!"

Harry bit his lip.

"Let me go look for her then."

* * *

Cat was furious. 

He kissed her. Again.

She didn't know whether she should hit him or kill him or kiss him back. She was so confused, that she could do was sit there again in sheer shock of it all. But as he began to get up and walk away like another hit and run, she leaped up and stomped after him. He began to walk out of the common room through the portrait hole, and she walked after him. As he began to sprint down the hallway, she sprinted after. When he began to run, she ran after him.

Dammit, he cursed in his brain. She's sexy AND fast.

As soon as he turned the next corner, he opened up a broom closet, grabbed her as soon as she stopped to look around to see where he was, and dragged her in.

"Hey!"

The light flicker on, then off, and on again, but faster.

"Look, what is your problem! Why are you chasing me!" he demanded.

"Why are running away, huh!"

"'Cause I'm Draco Malfoy!" he snapped. "I gotta run away after that or girls will be all over me!"

Cat stared at him and then threw her head back and laughed so hard for so long she could breathe. Draco was not amused at her laughter. He leaned against the wall, arms folded across her chest and waited her to finish laughing. As soon as her laughter drained, Draco spoke.

"Done?"

"Whew… oh yeah," she wheezed.

"Great. So why are you here?"

"Huh? Oh, right," Cat registered. She picked a mop and hit him.

"If you're trying to hurt me, a mop's not going to hurt," he scoffed with a sly grin. Cat threw the mop to the side and picked up the spray bottle of bleach.

"W-wait, now-"

Draco was beginning to be wary now, and he had right. If she sprayed that at him, it could blind him, kill him, or worse…

…stain his solid black robes.

"Look, you…you… nerf hearder!" she snapped.

"Nerffurder-"

"Violater!" she snapped again. "Why the hell do you keep kissing me? Are you on some sort of dare? Something like 'How to get a Girl in ten Days,' or something!"

"What? No!" Draco replied. "I'm just interested, that's all!"

"Interested! All you guys think about is sex!" Cat shot accusingly.

"Yeah, so!" snapped Draco.

"So! That's wrong! Or better yet, that's… disturb-"

Quickly, Draco covered her mouth with his hand and held her still from moving. She muffled a few words and tried to get his hand off, but he shushed her. There were footsteps outside the door. Cat stopped and held her breathe in anticipation. She wondered what punishment would await them if Mr. Filch were to find them…

The footsteps stopped in front of the door. They waited. And then the footsteps began again, quicker and then faded away. Draco leaned over and slightly pushed the door open, and both he and her peeked down the hallway. No one was there.

* * *

Harry was struggling to hold the invisibility cloak above his head, bent over and trying to read the map all at the same time. Since he was older and taller, the invisibility cloak no longer draped the floor and now a hung a few inches above his toes when he stood upright. So now he had to bend over and hold it like that. 

On the map, Karen Hartholmes's name was making it's way down the corridor, to the great hall.

He whispered quietly, "Mischeif managed," before closing it up, and sneaking it in his back pocket. He soon turned the next corner and regretted. There, not too far away was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and Professor Snape. They seemed to be having a serious conversation of some sort, because as Harry drew nearer to over hear he noticed Snape's spiney hand was gripping her arm.

"…awfully sweet to warn me about the forbidden forest, but trust me. I can take care of myself. After all, I do teach Defense Against the Dark Arts," declared the red head teacher. An angry look crossed Snape's face.

"Unless you've been hiding under a rock, Professor, you do know the Dementers are on the Dark Lord's side," grumbled Professor Snape.

"Oh yes. That is why I have chosen to go looking for one. I need to teach my students all they can about the Dark Lord in order for them to defend themselves," Professor Gingernox informed him.

"Allow me to go with you then," he told her. Professor Gingernox sighed.

"That's very kind of you, again, Professor Snape," Professor Gingernox, replied, "but I assure, as once before, I am very, very capable of taking care of myself."

As Prof. Gingernox attempted to walk away, Snap stopped her.

"I insist," he persisted, getting in her way. She glanced down at his hand on her arm.

"It' been a long time, hasn't it, Severus? Since we were here as students ourselves," she reminisced. Harry was so surprised. Professor Gingernox didn't look as old as Severus, or even as old as Lupin.

"This isn't about that, Jasmine," he grumbled.

"Is it? Good night, Severus," Jasmine started off again, down the changing stairs. Harry could've sworn Severus looked rejected. Harry couldn't help but feel a little pleased by Snape's disgruntled look, but as soon as Snape glanced his way, Harry began to wonder if the invisibility cloak was working. Before Snape could ponder his lack of company, Harry sneeked down on the changing stairs to get far, far away from the always suspicious teacher.

As soon as he made it down to the last floor, Harry pulled out the map again to see where Karen was this time. He had trouble finding it for a while, but then he found it moving towards the dungeon

But the dungeon's flooded, isn't it? That's why Snape's class was in a different class room, thought Harry. And with that thought, he hurried down, getting passed the locked doors to the dungeon, to which he caught her crawling around in her hands and knees through an inch of water. He yanked off the invisibility cloak.

"What're you doing!" he demanded. She jumped and whirled around to him.

"What're you doing here?" she asked.

"What're you doing here!" he accused her.

"Looking for something," she said and went back to gliding her hands along the muddy water.

"We can look for it when the storm clears up, right now, let's go back to the tower-"

"No, I have to find it," she snapped. "I'm not leaving until I find it."

Harry glanced around and saw no one. No one would come down anyway, the section had been sealed off for safety reasons. Harry hung his robe on a hook just below a torch holder, tossed his cloak over his shoulder, and rolled up his sleeves.

"I'll help you, then," he said getting on hands and knees. "What are we looking for?"

"It's a small cross about this big," she demonstrated between her thumb and forefinger, "made out of red stones. The last time I remember wearing it, I was about to go down to the dungeon for Potions, but Mr. Filch stopped us and told us to turn around to head back up to the 2nd floor for class there."

Harry remembered, but he didn't notice Karen wearing a cross.

"I don't remember you wearing a necklace that day," he told her.

"You probably didn't notice. I wear it under my shirt so that way when it falls off, it'll fall down my shirt, and I won't have to look far when I notice it's gone."

Harry concocted an image and slipped, and he fell face first into the water. Harry snapped back up, and Karen was laughing her head off until the creak. They both looked at the double doors of the dungeon.

CREAAAAAK.

Something deep was rumbling behind those double doors, and Harry and Karen had a theory. They did not like where that theory led them.

"The water…" whispered Karen, gravely.

"Come on!" urged Harry, and they both began frantically looking for the cross. He was determined to find it before the dungeon doors bust.

"Jesus…" whispered Karen, sliding her hands across the stone floors. Harry was making a lost of splashing, but that stop them from hearing the louder creaks.

CREAKCREAK!

They both looked up, and Harry could've sworn the door was warping outward.

"Oh crapohcrapohcrap, oh God…" whimpered Karen as panic rose inside of her. The surface along the floor was now rising higher up their thighs and to their elbows.

"You're sure you lost it here!" Harry called out, whiping his glasses to see.

"I'm so sure," she called back, more splashing noises.

CREEEEEEEEEEAK. POP.

Harry and Karen looked back at the double doors. A spurt of water as exploding forth from the wall now, just then, there was another pop, and both Harry and Karen jumped as another spout of water appeared.

"Oh God," breathed Karen.

"Karen…" whispered Harry.

BOOM!

A beam along the door broke and cam flying at Karen, and she screamed even as Harry yanked her out of the way.

"Let's go!"

Harry tried to pull Karen, and he very well pulled her up a little, but she was still on the ground, shifting her eyes around for the cross. The water was now to their wastes.

"Karen!"

"Aren't we supposed to be brave?" demanded Karen. "I gotta find that cross!"

She dove under the surface.

"This coming from the one who screamed!" snapped Harry.

Another beam suddenly broke.

BOOM!

More water splurted from the dungeon doors like a waterfall, and soon, the dungeon wall was growing a belly like a pregnant woman. Harry dove his hand underwater, searched around for a while before, he finally found her, and yanked her up for air.

"GASP! I saw it!"

"What, where!"

"Over there, by the…where's…"

There was a sound of rumbling, and the water began to wade low as if pulling back like tide on the beach. Both Harry and Karen watched it disappear all around their legs, then their feet, until they turned around and saw the fury.

The water climbed against the high walls, thickening over the door, like a giant curve of blue. Karen grabbed Harry's hand. Lightning flashed, the torches went out, so now it was dark, and more ominous than anything Harry had seen so far.

"Karen."

BOOM.

Thunder crashed, and the dungeon doors finally broke, and Karen fell back, taking Harry down with her, and it flooded down upon them like a curtain of choking darkness.

Harry felt himself being suffocated, being closed around, every space and piece of him being cornered and locked in water, his eyes squeezed shut, and a single breath of air lodged in his throat.  
For what seemed like forever, Harry felt a pull at his shirt, and he finally came up from air. Harry remembered it feeling like being born.

"GASP! KAREN! KAREN?" he yelled, eyes opening and closing, squinting to see. He saw a black blur. When a flash came, he saw a black hair and white face, and he knew it was her who had grabbed him.

"Harry, can you see me! Where're your glasses?" she asked.

"I don't know, I don't know," he sputtered, grabbing her arm.

"Harry," she grunted, pulling him closer, and he made out some kind of banaster she was holding, and he reached out to touch it to only grab a hold of it instead of her.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I'm sobe sorry."

Harry didn't accuse her, or say it was okay. He was still trying to make out her face.

"Can you see my glasses anywhere?" he asked.

"Um, yeah, I guess. I don't know, I lost one of my contacts, so it's all kind of blurry, too… no wait, there they are, _Wingardium Leviosa_!"

And after a minute, Harry could see again. He would be so happy to kiss Karen if it weren't for the fact the situation was looking worse and worse.

They were clutching a stony chandelier, and there was now only a five feet between them and the ceiling. There was sounds of rushing water every where, and Harry was reminded of a giant bathtub although it was very cold. He wondered if they could somehow get to the staircase.

"Karen, wait right here, I'm going to go see where the staircase is," he told her.

"Okay," she mumbled. Was she really okay?

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay."

"You sure?"

"No, no."

"Okay, um, I'll be right back."

Harry climbed up the chandelier and from a higher point, he dove into the water. For a second or two, he didn't open his eyes. And then when he did, he spotted the stairs right away, but oh, they were farther than he thought.

Shit, cursed Harry, and he swam to the surface.

"Gasp!"

Harry swam over to the chandelier, but no one was there.

"Karen!" he shouted.

No answer.

"KAREN!" he screamed.

"GASP!"

Karen pulled out of the water, but before she could say anything or Harry could tell her anything, there was another boom, and the chandelier began to unlodge from the ceiling.

"Oh, God," sputtered Harry. Karen grabbed a hold of Harry. The chandalier broke some more, and finally with one final scream from Karen, the chandelier let go, and they went spiral down with current, clutching to each other, deep into water, and somewhere, they let go.

Harry was lost in the deep waters, and when he at last came up from air, all he could do was gasp, and wade around. He felt surface move across the bottom of his shoes, and when he looked up, he saw a stony ceiling. They must be underground now, in the sewers beneath the school.

"Karen!" shouted Harry. There was no answer. "Ka-blubbff!"

Harry was sucked from under, and he was suffocated again, swirling around, struggling for air. He was deep now, he could feel it, and when he finally felt the pull give way, he swam for the instinct that directed to surface. He burst forth and struggled to breathe, chocking on the water lodged somewhere in his throat. He felt water hitting his face, and he knew he was outside. He waded around, waiting for oxygen to return to his lungs before actually opening his eyes. He blinked, and blinked again, recognizing his surroundings, somehow through the blur. He saw trees. They were in the lake. He began to swim toward trees.

As soon as Harry began feeling rocks under his feet, he knew he had made it at last, and he began stumbling toward the beach. On the beach, layed Karen wet in all her belongings. He crawled up beside her, giving way to the faint memory of seeing Sirius like such on the same beach, in the same state, and to deep sleep.

For now, he had submitted to the deep slumber of exhaustion from surviving terrible times.

* * *

Cat grabbed Draco back into the closet. 

"Look, I don't know what you're playing at, but you better blurt it out now, or I promise you, you will not look as pretty in the morning when I'm through with you," snapped Cat, squishing the bottle's nose against his chest.

"Oh, so I'm pretty, am I?" asked Draco, smiling evilly, and taking her other hand in both hands.

"Doesn't give you much of an edge, I'll tell you that," she spat at him, yanking her hand out of his.

"So you want me to tell you the whole purpose behind me kissing you? As if it weren't obvious enough?" asked Draco, taking closer steps.

"Yes, tell me, or squeeze this whooooole bottle of bleach right on your robes," she threatened him. Draco brushed it off, taking closer steps. The big broom closet, suddenly became smaller.

"Do you really want to know?" he asked. He was closer now, his face only inches away.

"Yes," she answered, almost breathlessly. He leaned down to kiss her, now hovering over her lips, his eyes drifting over her face.

"I think you already know"

And with that, he kissed her again, but not like before, because this time, she kissed him back. When they broke apart, it was only a second before they met lips again, and kissing even longer and forcefully as if each was attempting to conquer the other. Cat was now clenching the back of Draco's head and his black robes, holding onto him like she might fall if she were to let go, most ironix to just a minute a go she was threatening him to permanently stain his clothes. Indeed, Draco was holding her close to him, hugging all her curves like her clothes, afraid she might just disappear or go through him like a dream. They finally broke apart when Draco hit the wall, and his head hit first.

"Ommph," he withdrew his tongue and lips and cringed. She jumped back like he was on fire, breathing hard. "Jesus," he cursed. She nodded. And then he took her roughly into his arms and began kissing again more eagerly, but she was struggling for him to pause.

"MMwait, wait," she breathed, placing fingers on his lips. "This, I mea, this…what are we doing?"

Draco felt his mood be spoiled.

"Come on-"

"No, what're we doing? If you kiss me once more, you're sealing something," she told him. "Is that what you want?"

Draco watched her eyes, and he watched her face and her lips. He smirked.

"Alright," he said, "From now on, you're mine."

And very cliché or very romantic, he brushed her hair from the nape of her neck, and kissed her there, biting slightly. She breathed through teeth, and when he pulled back, she felt the hickey on her neck.

"Good God, I hope no one finds that," she muttered.

"Oh, they better. So then they'll know," he told her, brushing back her hair and pulling her closer.

"Oh, alright then," and in one smooth movement, she jumped up and made the same distinct impression on his neck.

"Ow! What the-"

"You think I'm going to let you keep me all to your self while you go shag some other girls, too? No way," Cat said with a sly smile, moving her finger in circles on his chest. "You are as just as mine."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Haha, I like that," giggled Cat. Drao blinked and smirked.

"You amaze me, Crescendo," Draco whispered on her lips.

"This seals it," murmured Cat before the kiss.

"I can assure you, I make no regrets."

And the secret kiss was formed.

* * *

Around eleven minutes past one, Lisa woke up, suddenly. She sat up so abruptly like a newly uncovered mummy. Her hair was splitting out of her ponytail, and her eyes were wide with surprise. Her heart race fast, her head light. She glanced around and noticed something was different. Something was wrong. 

Lisa got out of bed and walked painfully barefoot across the cold floor to the window. She couldn't tell really, if it was still raining for she couldn't hear. She couldn't hear the thunder, or even see the lightning. She opened the window, and she popped her head outside.

It had stopped raining and storming at last.

Maybe it wasn't that she felt something was wrong after all. Maybe what she really felt was that something had at last been set right.

"Finally."


	8. We are not Alone

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading Chapters 1-7. The following song is from the Breakfast club Soundtrack. Goodluck trying to find the cd or even the song. Better just to see the movie.

Song: Karla DeVito - We are not Alone

* * *

Chapter 8. We are not Alone

He was running, homework was pouring from the other direction, but he could not move fast enough. His legs would not move normally and soon the mounds of heavy paperwork hit him the back and buried him to the ground, but as soon as it harden into paper mache, he kept kicking until he was free. Then he was in Snape's class and there was Professor Gingernox popping party favors and fireworks on his desk. Snape pointed to a cabinet and told him to fetch him something for his love potion. So he went to the cabinet, opened it up and found Karen squeezed in wearing only a skirt and a bra. Harry asked what she was doing there, but she only smiled and waved. Snape pushed him out of the way, got Karen himself, and carried her over to the cauldron. Knowing that the potion meant certain death for his class mate, Harry picked up a torch and started beating him in the back to put her down, but Snape was unbeatable, and he dropped her in the cauldron.  
PLINK.

"OW!"

Harry opened his eyes to blurry vision. He closed them tightly, and when he opened them at first, all he could see was darkness, but a face was soon appeared.

Karen was hovering over him.

Wearing nothing but a tan bra and flowery undies.

Which in fact, did not help Harry.

"Another dream?" murmured Harry drowsily. Karen laughed.

"You dream about me in my underwear?"

Harry jumped up and started backing away from the half naked girl.

"What is this? Why are you naked!" he demanded. Karen got up from her knees and dusted them off.

"It's not my choice - well, no, it is - but you need to take off your clothes, too," she advised him.

"What? Why!" he demanded, a blushing turning over on his face. He glanced around. They were in the forbidden, no doubt about that, right beside the lake where he and Sirius were attacked by the dementers. There was campfire, and Karen's clothes were hanging in mid air to the side. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. "It stopped raining."

"Yeah, isn't that nice?" she asked, glancing around and squishing her bare feet in the damp earth. Harry noticed she was naked again, and deciding he would show some chivalry, he covered his eyes with his hand.

"Um, c-could you put some uh, clothes on?" he stumbled for his words.

"No, they're all wet. Now you need to take off your clothes before you die from hypothermia or catch a cold or something!" she told him. "I was going to take your clothes myself, but I thought you might not like that so I bothered to wake you up."

Karen went over and sat by the fire, her back to him.

"I rather just keep them on," declared Harry, eyes still closed and covered by his hands.

"Harry, I'm facing the fire now, so you can take off your clothes without me 'prying eyes'…. if that's what you're so afraid of," she murmured the last bit, but then she shouted, "BUT YOU'LL CATCHA DEATH OF COLD SO TAKE IT OFF!"

The trees shook, the surrounding birds and bats flew off with the shout. Harry was scared now, and for some reason he was reminded of Mrs. Weasely and her effect on her children. Harry went through the things he still had on him, his Marauders Map which stayed miraculously in his pocket, his wand, and his eyeglasses. He unfortunately misplaced his invisibility cloak which made him kick a tree and wake up the squirrels which had managed to sleep through Karen's scream.

When Harry was done undressing, he had never felt more embarrassed in his life. His wet boxers were sticking to him, so more than often he tried to wring out the ends with one hand, crinkling them.

"Are you done?" she asked, turning her head just a little so he could hear her.

"Yeah, yes, I mean," he stuttered. What do you want me to do with um…"

Karen was getting up to turn around.

"No, don't-"

"Oh, Harry, you've seen me in my underwear. Really, it doesn't matter," she said awkwardly, not looking him in the eye. She took his wet clothes and with each she levitated them next to hers.

Harry, with nothing to do, sat down by the fire on the now dry ground. He glanced around him, rubbing his toes which were the most freezing part of his body besides his fingers. He wondered how Karen had managed to get the fire started and levitate the clothes. How did she know such spells?

At that moment, Karen came to sit down on the opposite end of the fire, tensing Harry's nerves. Her hair was plastered to her face, but she was looking relatively calm what with having been through the flood and the water and the lake.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked. Harry blinked.

"Like what?"

"Like that."

"What?"

"Oh forget it," she sighed. Another silence lapsed between them.

"We should probably get back the castle," Harry suggested.

"Let's wait until morning," she said.

"We can't stay out here all night," he told her.

"Oh yeah, we can. I've stayed out in the woods all night before," she told him, which is true. Karen had stayed out all night before, but in a tent. She had been camping several times as a child and as a young adult with her family and fellow teenagers. She knew what to look out for and knew what helped in a situation as such, but even so, she felt that all of that was pointless in an enchanted forest. Another but, she felt it was safe to tell a white lie to Harry if it would comfort him to stay put.

"Besides, we could always get more lost," she told him.

"We can't stay out here," he told her. Harry thought about all the dangerous things in the forest, all of the times he had come out here, and each time he faced something sinister, deadly, or evil.

"Are you that scared?" asked Karen. Harry was surprised.

"I'm not scared."

"Well, good, 'cause I am."

Harry stared at her.

"You're very blunt."

"Thank you; I've always tried to be as honest as I can."

"Maybe you should've gone to Hufflepuff then."

A hurt look crossed Karen's face.

"Maybe," she said. "Possibly. Makes sense. I bet Hufflepuffs are not too brave."

"No."

"Oh."

"No, I mean, um, nah, you're good where you are," he said trying to get the hurt look to go away.

"Oh, that's good," she said with a smile. "But you're probably right. I'm not too bright, so I can't be in Ravenclaw, and I'm not really a schemer, so not Slytherin, and I jump every time it thunders, so definitely no Gryffindor. I probably should've gone to Hufflepuff."

Harry began fingering the ground. He wondered how this topic began, and then he remembered being in the forest and her being scared. He should probably bring it back to going back to the castle, but then he remembered how he was unsure whether he should be in Gryffindor and maybe in Slytherin. He decided maybe staying put would be okay.

"Well, Ron's scared of spiders, and he's in Gryffindor," Harry mentioned. Karen blinked.

"I didn't know that."

"Yeah, he doesn't tell a lot of people. But he is afraid of them," he told her. "And he does freak out whenever someone says Voldemort."

"Yeah, I notice a lot of people do that," said Karen. "I tried talking to people about it, but they all just tell me to say You-Know-Who, but I think that's very weird."

Harry laughed. Karen was a little funny when it came to things so serious. Harry could've sworn he saw Karen smile too as she poked the fire with a stick. Then his stomache made an incoherent noise.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

"Mmm, yeah, because of detention, I missed dinner," Harry sighed. Karen blinked and got up.

"I think I still have a chocolate frog. Lisa gave me one," she said, going to her robes. "Would you want it? It's hasn't been opened."

"I think I'd eat even Hagrid's treacle fudge right about now," Harry replied, with a gracious smile. She came back from digging in her robes and tossed the package at Harry.

"He makes fudge?" asked Karen as she sat down next to him. Harry laughed and shook his head as he opened the package. As soon as the frog jumped out, Harry caught it between his fingers. It gave one last ribbit before turning inanimate. Then it hit him that Karen might be hungry, too.

"Um, do you want to share?" he asked.

"Nah, I already about a hundred chocolate cookies at dinner," Karen explained. "I'm not hungry."

Shrugging, Harry bit into the frog, bite by bite, making it last. And as he did, he realized he now had a lot of time to think, which he usually didn't what, with being piled by school work, and the prospect of having to kill someone before he killed him, and the mystery behind the eyeball…not that he really thought about the eyeball. Soon he was done, but it didn't matter. Now all he could think about was how they got here and what ever happened to the cross that they were looking for.

"It's a shame that we went through all that trouble and never found that cross," pondered Harry gazing into the fire. Karen glanced up and tried to hide a smile.

"Oh, about that, yeah…" she got up again and went to her robes, then she came back and scooted closer to Harry. "I found it"  
She dangled a redstoned cross between a thumb and forefinger in front of him. It was not stunningly beautiful like Harry had imagined, but quite plain. He extended his hand and let her drop it into the palm. Reflections of fire danced on the stones inspiringly.

"This is it," he murmured expressing some disappointment. "It's very pretty."

"Thank you. I suppose you're wondering why I almost wasted my life and even yours on it," spoke Karen.

"Yes"  
"Well, this is the cross my mother gave me, that my grandmother gave to my mother. This is the only thing that's kept me going for so long," she told him. Harry looked at her smile then back at the cross. He wondered how something so small could be a beacon of hope, especially to someone like Karen who tended to look on the Brightside of everything. A part of him wished he had something like it, maybe to keep him going. And with that thought, Harry was reminded of Sirius and their plan together, and Harry's eyes burned.

"Harry? You okay?"

Harry didn't want to look at Karen's worried expression.

"Here, take it," he mumbled, dropping it in Karen's hand. She looked at it, then back at him.

"Nope, you keep it," she told him. Harry was startled.

"What? We went through all that trouble to get your lousy-"

"Hey, you don't need to call it that. What I mean is, you keep it. You deserve it," she told him, taking his hand and placing it there again. Harry stared at it, then looked at her.

"I deserve it?"

"Yes. And you look like you need it."

"I need it?"

"Yes. Pretend this is some kind of cliché fairytale going on here and the fair maden gives her knight a token of her appreciation and it happens to be the one thing he was searching for. Yes, this is yours, your bright hope, your light in the darkness. Even if you don't believe in God or Jesus or whatever which I think you do somehow, think of this cross as a symbol of….of…" Karen was searching for the words. Normally she was very poetic, but it was not coming to her.

"Hope," he supplied, just thinking of it.

"Yeah, I already said that, but yeah. Think of it as the peace after hard times. Relief. The end of the struggle."

"You make it sound like death."

"NO! No, well sorta, no wait, oh, beejesus…" sighed Karen, slapping her face. She thought about it, and then finally came to a conclusion. "Can you think of a time when you were buried under all these problems and troubles and it didn't seem like there was ever going to be a really, truly, happy day?"

"Yeah," muttered Harry. Right about now, he thought.

"Well, what was thing that kept you going?" asked Karen.

"Nothing. I didn't have anything to keep me going."

"Well, you must've. You're still here. Unless you're afraid of living. Or taking your own life."

Harry had never thought of killing himself. I guess he felt it was not an option.

"I don't know how I got here," Harry thought aloud. "I guess I just felt there had to be a reason for living."

"There you go."

Harry stared at her.

"That's it?"

"Yep"  
"My beacon of hope is that I might come to the point where I'll know why I'm alive?"

"What do you want?"

Harry became suddenly aware that Karen was very close to his face, very close to his body, actually. He also received notice that she was still wearing only her underwear, and he was still only wearing boxers.

"Do you want love? Is that what you want? Do you want a family and kids of your own? A goal to become king or minister or whatever form of leader you have here?" asked Karen breathing on him. Harry was at a loss of words.

"Uhmm…"

Wow, the air was tense.

"Harry," she whispered.

She was very pretty.

"You're foot is getting dangerously close to the fire," she told him. Harry felt a sting, and he jumped back with a yelp.

"YAH!" Harry knelt to his foot and touched it tenderly.

"You okay?" she asked, sitting cross legged.

"Yeah…" sighed Harry testing his toe for nerve damage. It still hurt so must be fine. If that made any sense.

"Are you attracted to me, Harry?" asked Karen bluntly. Harry froze. He didn't look at her. "'Cause that's okay if you are."

"Wha…what do you mean?" he asked, still not looking at her. He couldn't think. He couldn't breathe. His heart's thumping suddenly became loud.

The air was once again tense.

"What I mean…what I mean… what do I mean? Hmm," Karen looked away and began to seriously think about what she said. The tense atmosphere dropped below tense. Now everything seemed so frivolous.

Harry was so confused. She had to think about it? He now stared at her praticaly bare back.

"I guess what I mean is that I think you're very attractive. And if two people find each other attractive it doesn't really mean they're in love with each other," said Karen. "It just means they appeal to each other."

"Appeal?" wondered Harry.

"Man, that's bullshit. Let's make out."

There was look of complete grave business on Karen's face like she were throwing down the knife and moving around furniture. She was dead serious like she was the supreme executive of the Starbucks industry, and she was laying down a plan in front of all the committee members in the top floor of the building.

Harry burst out laughing. When he was done laughing Karen and him reached an agreement that whatever had just been said in the last few minutes was complete crazy talk from the light of the fire and cold of the dark. Soon enough, they went onto topics like where they were born, how they grew up, and although Karen's was much more pleasant, she wanted to talk about Harry's childhood. So Harry began to tell her the story of Voldemort, his home with the dreadful Dursely's, and the death of his parents, but not all in that order. Then when she wanted to know more, he explained to her everything, all of his adventures with the short tempered red head and the brightest witch of her age. However, when he came to the part where Sirius was killed and after the battle, Harry did not tell her of the prophecy. He thought he would rather take it to his grave, and it seemed more likely that he would.

In the end Karen was staring at him wide eyed, clutching her knees to her chest and speechless. Suddenly, she got up.

"WegottagetyououttahereandbackatHogwarts-"

"No, no, no, it's okay, really," he told her, pulling her back down. "Voldemort, he won't, well, he might, but more than likely, he can't come for me here."

"Because of the centaurs?" asked Karen. "That's right, they're not letting anyone in. But wait, we're here-"

"Karen, it's okay," he told her although she actually seemed to be thinking logically. Voldemort could come for him now, if he wanted to. He could come for him right now and kill him on the spot. She stared at him.

"Then we'll just have to perform the dance."

Harry now stared at her.

"What?"

But Karen was already getting up and pulling him up with her.

"C'mon, c'mon, it'll work. Now repeat after me," Karen cleared her throat and stepped back two steps. "This is a song I got off of The Breakfast Club. Ever seen it? No, well, of course not, it's an 80s teen movie. Very good. American."

Karen shook her head and snapped her fingers like the poor imitations of beat poets Harry saw on tv with the Durselys.

"Things look clear in black and white," began Karen trying to sound like she was singing but she was singing, Harry knew, 'cause you had to be good at it to sing. "The living color tends to dye our sight, Like dynomite…why aren't you singing? You gotta sing it too."

"Nnn… Things look clear in black and white… The living color tends to dye our sight, Like dynomite…" Harry sung badly.

"C'mon you gotta dance, too. C'mon."

Karen took his hand, and she showed him a simple dance which require to kick out your feet out on different sides and it made Harry feel like a complete idiot.

"I feel so stupid," muttered Harry.

"Why? Excuse me for copying but there's no one to feel stupid in front of!" exclaimed Karen. "We can do whatever we want. No one is watching."

Harry decided Karen had a point and he smiled inwardly at how goofy Karen was dancing. He then shook of his fear of embarrassment and danced with her, just as goofily. They started over.

"Things look clear in black and white The living color tends to dye our sight Like dynomite Just imagine my surprise When I looked into your eyes and saw Your disguise

If we dare expose our hearts Just to feel the purest parts That's when strange sensations start to grow!"

Karen and Harry danced in a circle around the fire.

"We are not alone Find out when your cover's blown There'll be somebody there to break your fall We are not alone 'Cause when you cut down to the bone We're really not so different after all After all We're not alone!"

Karen gave a happy howl.

"Shh!" Harry tried to calm her down.

"C'mon Harry!"

Harry hesitated, and Karen continued humming hinting it was Harry's turn to sing

"Flying high above the sky The battles down below look simplified With no place to hide But on inspection of the dust I came upon this thing called trust It helps us to adjust

Just imagine my surprise When I looked into your eyes I knew right then I'd never let you go!"

Harry gave a shot at howling. Karen was so happy she could not stop smiling and neither could he, they were now dancing around the fire screaming the lyrics they didn't know too well.

"We are not alone Find out when your cover's blown There'll be somebody there to break your fall We are not alone 'Cause when you cut down to the bone We're really not so different after all After all We're not alone Not alone After all Not alone!"

"Now comes the solo air guitar!" And Karen struck out pretending to play an electric guitar and making the strange noises, Harry did not get.

"No, no, you gotta like this. Yeah, so it's like playing an electric guitar," she told him, then before they knew it they had to go back to singing because being away from the fire to play air guitar was chilly.

So they started singing again.

"If we dare expose our hearts Just to feel the purest parts That's when strange sensations start to grow!"

They screamed and hollered the lyrics.

"We are not alone Find out when your cover's blown There'll be somebody there to break your fall We are not alone 'Cause when you cut down to the bone We're really not so different after all After all We're not alone!"

Harry and Karen jumped around the fire, acting and looking like crazy veela.

"We are not alone Find out when your cover's blown There'll be somebody there to break your fall We are not alone 'Cause when you cut down to the bone We're really not so different after all After all After all…"

And both Karen and Harry collapsed next to each other and fell asleep.


	9. I'll Be There for You

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading Chapters 1-8. I don't particularly like Friends(TM), but I do like that song.

Song: Rembrants - I'll Be There for You

* * *

Chapter 9. I'll Be There for You

Harry felt the sun touch his skin and run it's hands over him like shine. He gave a great sighed and blinked, adapting his eyes to the light. He glanced down and realized that somewhere in the night they wounded up huddled up to each other. Karen was still asleep, breathing softly, her head tucked away on his shoulder. One of his arms was clenched tightly around Karen. The other was tucked under his head as a pillow. One of his legs was entangled with hers. It was awfully uncomfortable but it got him through the night.

Harry smiled to himself thinking about the dance and how ridiculous it was. He untucked an arm and brushed a piece of hair out of her face. Then he turned over and saw about a ten or more arrow heads aimed directly at his head.  
Harry and Karen were surrounded by the centaur army of the Forbidden Forest.

Harry's heart began to race. He tapped Karen on the shoulder, and when she opened her eyes she jolted awake. Harry grabbed her arm.

"Get up. Both of you."

One of the darker centaurs with a dark black coat, half shaven face and curly hair had spoken. He looked dead serious and not very happy with his weapon pointed to Harry's face.

Harry held onto Karen like a true chivalrous hero, holding her beside him, and would behind him, if it weren't for the fact they were surrounded and behind him wouldn't be any safer that in front of him.

"We were just…There was accident and a flood-"

"No humans are allowed in the Forbidden Forest now. You have broken a sacred code Mr. Harry Potter," the centaur sentenced. "Your unwatched fire could have burned down the forest, and you have also disturbed the forest peace."

"Oh. You mean the dance-"

"The howling, and the screaming," corrected the centaur. "There's no excuse for intruding on Forbidden Forest property for mating rituals."

"Mating rituals? No, you don't understand; Karen's not-"

"Why are you talking with the young ones?" asked another centaur. He was smaller built with straighter hair, a dirty blonde.

"Informing them of their arrest and execution," explained the bigger centaur.

"What do you mean? What are we doing, Lamerock?" asked the smaller built centaur. "They are the innocent; we cannot harm the -"

"Quiet, Gareth!" snapped the Lamerock shooting him a dirty look. The small centaur stared at him. For a long time there was no speaking, just glares between the two centaurs and nervous looks between the rest. Finally, Gareth, the smaller, spat at him.

"You just want to make Harry Potter your first kill."

And at that moment Karen reacted abruptly in a way Harry would've never thought possible. A swift as a snitch, she turned the tables. She knocked Harry out of the way into a few centaurs, and just as they fired she dropped to her back. The arrows went flying above her hitting random spots on the ground. It only took a second to realize that there aim was not true, and Karen was able to make a dramatic move. With both feet she kicked the crossbow in Lamerock's hands so hard it hit the Lamerock in the chin, knocking him hard enough to faze everyone for a moment. In a flow of motion, Karen flipped back onto her feet and threw two hand fulls of ash from the half burned out fire and dried earth into the air, causing a cloud of dust and smoke.

In the chaos of the smoke, Harry hear a number of painful noises and cries. Most of them sounded mildly manly, so Harry knew they could not be Karen. Karen screamed like a little girl. So if there was fight going on, which Harry could not see, Karen must be winning.

Suddenly, he felt the two strong holds of the centaurs on his arms become limp and slip away. He heard two thuds, and instantly, Harry felt someone grab his arm in the cloud of chaos.

"C'mon!" And Harry was yanked out of the two centaur's grasps. The arm, which is the only thing he could see, dragged him out of smoke, and he recognized the rest of the body and face as Karen.

"Here!" she shoved some clothes in Harry's arms and took down a few of hers before they heard a great siren.

BEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUU.

It sound like a noises from a conch and Harry realized it could've been an army horn.

"Run!" he shouted, grabbing Karen's hand, and they both dashed deeper into the Forbidden Forest, away from the disaster site.

* * *

"Gareth! What just happened here! Why is your Captain unconscious!" demanded a taller centaur looking older in wrinkles under his eyes and white in his hair. Gareth, after shaking his head of dust and head ache, saluted his superior.

"The two young humans were armed, sir," began Gareth. He darted his eyes around noticing the cavalry and the unconscious bodies.  
"With what, may I ask?"

"Nothing, sir."

"What the hell? Then how did all your fellow men end up this way!"

"I knocked them down, sir. They… were drunk. And annoying me."

"That still doesn't explain the humans, Gareth. And where are the liquor bottles!"

"Well, no, sir. They used a cloud of smoke as a distraction and ran way. Must've run away with the liquor, too."

* * *

When Harry and Karen finally came to Hogwarts ground, they were just emerging out of the Forbidden Forest. They were lucky enough to get inside without anyone noticing them yet.

"Everyone must be at lunch," whispered Harry, for he could tell by the empty hallways.

"Great, then no one will -"

"AHEM."

Both Harry and Karen spun around, Harry in only his pants and Karen in only Harry's uniform shirt.

Snape was at the bottom of the staircase staring at them with a flinch in his eyebrow and a gaggle of giggling students gathering behind him.

Harry stared at Professor Snape feeling a pang of undeserved guilt gaining weight like a forming stone in his stomache. He sensed impending doom.

"This isn't what it looks like."

* * *

Cat was very happy today, and although, she'd love to explain how, she didn't really feel like it. She got to sleep in, and when she woke up, she dressed in her favorite clothes and went downstairs. Even Pansy Parkinson did not ruin her day today. As much as she tried for Cat to overhear the gossip about her behind her back(ended up shouting the conversation in the common room), Cat could not be put down. Why?

Because she had a wizard for a boyfriend.

And not just any wizard.

She had the most gorgeous, sexy wizard in all the school.

The only way she could be happier was if he was as sensitive and decent a wizard as he was beautiful.

As Cat made her way down to the great hall for lunch, she spotted Draco subtley pointing his wand at a 3rd year who was either having difficulty sitting down or had ants in his pants.

Cat perceived this as hexing.

"Stop that," she exclaimed, pressing down the tip of his wand with her finger to the table. He glanced at her and smirked.

"I was only playing," he joked.

"Well, are you friends with that guy?" asked Cat.

"Nooo, but he's an ungrateful prat. Never shuts up. Thinks he knows everything," sneered Draco.

"Who cares? Why do you care?" asked Cat sitting down across from him.

"I don't," he declared.

"Then why bother?" and Cat took a sip from her butter beer.

"Because it's fun," he laughed.

"What's fun, Mr. Malfoy?"

Both Cat and Draco jumped at the sound of Snape's voice. Draco glanced up.

"Nothing, Professor," gulped Draco. Snape darted eyes from him to Karen.

"Is there…something going on?" asked Snape.

"Yes, Professor," began Cat. Bothe Draco and Snape looked at her intrigued and, in Draco's case, just a bit weirded out.

"Yes, I'm afraid Draco and I were about to discuss the dismal meaning of life and happiness. Wouldn't you agree, Draco?"

Draco stared for a moment then cleared his throat.

"Ahem, right, yes, we were just about to talk about the obstructives surrounding death in a surprisingly derogatory way," Draco caught on. Cat made a note to herself that what he had just said made no sense at all. Then they both put on their brightest smiles to which Snape was blinded.

"Very…well," Snape croaked out squinting from the sparkling teeth. "But I've never heard more bolder lies in all my life."

When Snape was out of hearing distance, Draco turned back to Karen with a broad smile.

"You know, even though my father has that teacher wrapped around his finger, it still amazes me whenever someone can wedge their way out of a detention with the Professor," confessed Draco. Cat was surprised.

"Your father and Professor Snape are buddies or something?" asked Cat, picking up a small sandwhich to put on her plate.

"Yeah, something like that."

"EEK!"

Both Draco and Cat glanced over the great hall entrance to where Snape had exited. There was faint hearing of giggles and laughter, and there was a loud shout.

"HARRY POTTER!"

And no sooner than one could say Quidditch, both Cat and Draco leaped from their seats and dashed down the Great Hall into the hallway toward the throng of students hung around the stairs. They spotted Snape glaring furiously at a half dressed couple the top of the stairs.

As soon as Cat laid eyes on them she laughed so hard she could not contain it. Draco laughed, too, holding a grasping Cat in his arms, desperately cleaving.

Infact, they were so loud, that Karen recognized the laughter above the rest and shot her a dirty look. Harry was too busy with Snape's blaring lecture over "indecency", and "vulgar behavior", and "provocative nature", and "just like his father."

Harry wanted to explain, but every pause that Snape gave was just for another breath of air and never room for him to speak. Finally, Karen had to interrupt him.

"Professor Snape, I can explain!" exclaimed Karen.

"Miss Harthumbs, do not interrupt me-"

"Hartholmes, sir, and see I went down to go get my cross, and there was this flood-"

"Your cross!"

"This thingie, look, Harry-baby's wearing it-" Karen gestured the little cross dangling around his neck. Harry never realized he was wearing it. She must've put it on him sometime during the night.

"Harry-baby!"

"Yeah, Harry, and anyway, I dragged Harry into helping, and we were looking for it down in the dungeons, and then suddenly…"

She gave a dramatic pause. Everyone was waiting in suspense.

"BOOM!"

Kids, including Prof. Snape, jumped as Karen waved her arms theatrically.

"The water was busting through! We scared shitless, of course, you wouldn't believe Professor"  
Snape just held a confused, bewildered, annoyed look of a badger's who's bum was on fire and was concentrating on how it got that way.

"So then we were searching and we were searching. And then…"

She paused dramatically. Everyone waited in suspense.

"BOOM!"

More jumping. A rather ruffled Professor Snape looking more displeased. Karen waved her arms again in the air.

"And a beam broke! Lightning! Thunder!" Karen clashed and boomed with her voice. "The water was rising higher! It was like Indiana Jones or the Mummy Returns, maaaaaaaaaan, errrrr, Professor. And then guess what"  
"Boom?" wondered Snape.

Karen gave a longer dramatic pause. She was right in front of Snape, hunched over and arms raised, then suddenly shook.

"BOOM!"

A random girl screamed, and Snape jumped again. She was beginning to unnerve Snape than even Harry's father.

"Another beam broke! And then there was more lightning and thunder but it was too late now! And then suddenly the whole floor of water began sucking back, you know like when you go to the beach and the tide pulls back? Well, no, you don't look like a very tan man, Professor, so maybe you don't know," concluded Karen. Kids nodded. Harry just buried his head in his hands from the shame. Professor Snape glared at her emotionless.

"I don't."

"Hmn. The beach is a nice place, but don't see Jaws, you'll never get in the water again-"

"ANYWAY!" cried out Harry before burying his head back in his hands again.

"Anyway, the whole water was tiding back and we turned around and there was this huge, massive wave I have ever seen in my entire life and then Harry grabs my hand-" and Karen grabbed Harry's hand, and he looked up " -and he only has to say my name before…"

Karen gave a dramatic pause. Snape timed it perfectly.

"BOOM!" The shouted together, startling I think even the strongest soul. Every kid had a heart attack, and somewhere in Hogwarts, a headmaster was chocking on a biscuit, and somewhere in England, a werewolf was having a spittake of coffee on a very good looking young woman.

Karen stared at Snape who was hunched over exactly like she was. He instantly straightened up, which in Professor Snape's case, meant not so much hunched over like Gollum but like a depressing sight.

"Ahem, go on"

"Right, so then it thundered and the wave crashed down on us!" Karen pretended to be a wave crashing down on Harry who withdrew his hand awkwardly from Karen's only a moment ago to let her go "boom." He was now returned to his embarrassing position, head buried in his hands.

"And we were tossed around of course, and when we finally came to the surface I managed to grab Harry and pull him and me to the chandelier"

"The water was up that high!" exclaimed a kid in the crowd. Snape shot a venomous look at him, and he cowered. Karen just nodded, smiling.

"And first, we had to find Harry's glasses, before Harry snapped into 'hero mode' - very awesome, you should see it - and he said he was gonna go find out where the staircase thingie was. So he climbed onto the chandelier "  
Karen climbed onto the banister of the stair case landing, and in pretend, she made a diving pose.

"And he dived into the water!"

Karen jumped off and landed on her feet.

"And at that moment, I spotted my cross!"

"Your what?" called out a girl.

"BEEJEESUS, WEREN'T YOU LISTENING! The cross!" Karen frantically pointed to the cross around Harry's neck again. "So anyway, I found it not to far, dangling my some one in a million chance on a metal thorn of one of the higher wall torches. You know. They're really high up, higher than the chandelier. So I swam, through the strongest drift, really, it was strong, and found it, but then I was sucked under water, and when I finally came up for air, I was able to grab the chandelier Harry clung to! But before we could swim to the underwater staircase, the chandelier broke"

"GASP!"

Snape was now very annoyed. He forgot where this had turned into a puppet show or a soap opera.

"And we were sucked in by the current, tossed around and around, then into the sewers and down pipes until we finally came out the other end in the middle of the LAKE!"

Karen made a dramatic pose with open arms.

"It was like, this huge."

Everyone stared at her.

"So yeah, we managed to float unconsciously to the Lakey shores where I woke up from being attacked by a squirrel - hey, it's not that funny. And see that's where the clothes come in, 'cause we were wet and we had to take them off so we couldn't catch a cold and then since Harry told me about Voldemort and - oh gosh, do stop that - and then we performed the sacred ritual of The Breakfast Club, and we woke up and there were centaurs, but I beat them up, 'cause um, I took karate, and we ran off into the forbidden forest," Karen made a little running motion with her hands, "and could only grab so many clothes before the cavalry arrived so, you know. This is all we had grabbed. You know," explained Karen who was now no longer theatrically, interpretively dancing out the scenes. She was fiddling with her fingers behind her back and tapping the floor with her bare feet awkwardly. Harry managed to pull his face out of his hands to roll his eyes and sigh.

Everyone stared at her, including Snape, only not so much shocked as "thoroughly perturbed."

"Oh yes. That old nutshell."

* * *

"LISA, IT'S TWO IN THE AFTERNOON GET UP!"

Lisa hear the drape open and she felt a burning sensation on her eyelids. She brought the blanket over her head.

"It's the weekend… I always sleep in on the weekend," muffled Lisa under the covers.

"Yeah, well," the girl who had yelled at her folded her arms over her chest at her beside. "Some girl downstairs wants to see you."

"Who is it?" yawned Lisa.

"I don't know! Some Gryffindor girl! GEEZ!"

Lisa whirled the covers off her and then after two steps, tripped over her stuff and fell. But she got up again, now fully awake, and reached for her glasses. She stumbled to the bathroom, took a quick shower, dressed in her comfortable shirt and sweatpants, and went downstairs to the common room. She stepped out of the portrait hole, rubbing her eyes from the extra sleep still there.

"What is it, Skye?" asked Lisa. Skye was standing there in a fleece jacket jeans and shirt, looking very comfortable. Someone was with her, and from the looks of it, it appeared to be Karen. She was looking very bitter about something which clashed with her darkblue sweatshirt, jeans and shoes.

"Where are your shoes?" asked Skye, glancing down at her bare feet.

"Shoes?"

"You're gonna need them. We're going out to the Quidditch field today to watch Jamie practice," Skye answered. "Or did they run away and have sex, too?"

Skye shot a glare at Karen. Karen threw her hands in the air.

"My shoes did not runaway and have sex!"

Lisa stared at both of them very confused. She began to back away into the portrait hole.

"Right… um… I'm gonna go get my shoes, then," and Lisa dashed into the portrait hole and to the girls dormitory.

When she came back, Skye was attempting to put a square like bandaid on a struggling Karen.

"What is that?" asked Lisa, pointing to the bandaid, Skye was trying to slap on Karen's backside.

"LISA! Get her off me!" struggled Karen, pulling on Skye's hair. Finally Skye slapped it on.

"GYAH!" She slapped too hard, and Karen fell over.

"Whew. Birth control patch."

"Skye, you are so dead…" wheezed an unhappy Karen.

"Do I want to know?" asked Lisa, raising an eyebrow. Both Karen and Skye looked at Lisa surprised.

"You haven't heard?"

"Heard what?"

Skye gave Karen a displeased look from the corner of her eye.

"Karen and Harry Potter were caught red-handed sneaking back up to the dormitories."

"So?"

"In only Harry's clothes."

"….wait. So what was Harry wearing?"

"Pants."

"And what was Karen wearing."

"His shirt."

"….so were were your clothes?" asked a very bewildered Lisa to Karen.

"In the forest!" exclaimed Karen. "See there was this flood and we got flooded out and in the lake and oh my God do I have to tell the story again!"

Karen had to tell the story all over again to Lisa as they made their way down the stairs and hallways and out to the Quidditch field.

When the got there, Lisa didn't realize how cold it was gonna be. Why did England have to be so chilly?

"Geez, it's freezing out here," studdered Lisa as they climbed up the stairs to the bleachers.

"Here, take my sweatshirt," offered Karen, taking it off and handing it to her. They walked on.

"Aren't you cold?" asked Lisa. Karen did not respond for a while.

"Okay, give it back," said Karen.

"YOU'LL LIVE, KAREN!" barked Skye.

"What! Skyyyyyyye…" whimpered Karen. Lisa laughed. Skye didn't torture Karen like this normally. Usually there was so much love between Lisa almost thought they were newly wed couple. Now it seemed like the were an old married couple.

As soon as they made it to the top they were out of breath and rested in the front row. Karen was shivering in her sleevless shirt, but she still leaned out over the railing to love for the people that looked like ants.

"So wait, where are the players? Where's Jamie?" asked Karen. Lisa, snug as possible in Karen's sweatshirt which was big on her, leaned over the railing, too, to see.

A little ant came walking out of one end of the field.

"Oh wait, there he is. HI JAMIE!" Lisa waved down to him. The ant looked up and another ant joined him. Then the ant got on a sticky looking thing.

FWOOM!

It flew up to them quicker than Karen or Lisa thought possible, and it became Jamie.

"Hi, guys!" greeted Jamie. He was wearing a face mask, a black one and only his lips and eyes were visible.

"Whoa," Lisa breathed. Karen was speechless. "That was fast."

"Yeah, I know. This is a Starburst broom. Kind of funny, ain't it?" laughed Jamie.

"Quidditch is flown around on brooms," explained Skye.

"What? Really? Wait, how do you play Quidditch? Is it like cross country, only with brooms?" asked Lisa.

"Well, no, it's kind of more like Basketball, really. 'Cept there is more than one ball involved, more than one hoop, and seven players. You get it?"

Both Lisa and Karen shook their heads.

"Alright, it's like… um…"

Jamie interrupted and gracefully explained how to play Quidditch.

"Oh, that kind of makes sense," Lisa concluded.

"So wait, what player do you play?" asked Karen, brushing a piece of hair out of her face. Her wet hair was beginning to dry in the wind.

"Oh, I am a seeker."

"Whoa, so you're the most important player on the team!" exclaimed Karen.

"Yeeeeeeeeeep," grinned Jamie. There was nother sound of wind, and another player flew up to greet them.

"C'mon, Jamie. Game's starting," said the boy.

"Oh, hey, these are my friends, Lisa, Skye, and Karen."

"Are they spies?" asked the boy, raising an eyebrow. All three of the girls looked accosted by the questions.

"No, shit, no," Jamie laughed. "They're just my friends."

"Right, anyway. C'mon Jamie."

And with that, they both flew off with a wave from Jamie. When they were out of sight, Karen whirled around to Skye.

"Skye, we're joining the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

And the Hufflepuff practice began.


	10. Poprocks and Coke

Author's Note:

Thank you, once again, for reading my pathetic fanfiction(so far, Chapters 1-9). Wasn't Chapter 9 great? I like that chapter best.

Song: Green Day - Poprocks and Coke

* * *

Chapter 10. Poprocks and Coke

Skye stared at her wide eyed and blank. Then she squealed and the leaped into each others arms and Lisa jumped in surprise.

"YAY!"

"WHOO!"

"Geez! Now you want to join!" exclaimed Lisa, backed up against the railing.

"What's wrong with it?" asked Karen, still hugging Skye.

"Yeah, I mean, I've always wanted to join, especially since last year when the Gryffindor Quidditch team finally won! It used to look so hectic what with Slytherin always cheating us all the time. Like a battle of life and death," squirmed Skye.

"For reals?" sang Karen as she laid back against the bleachers in her t- shirt and jeans. Lisa was still leaning over the railing watching Jamie fly around looking for the snitch.

"Yeah, totally"  
"Fuh shuh."

"What"  
"Nothing. Austin thing. I think."

"Oh yeah, Austin. I miss Austin."

"Yeah, me, too."

"And fries, I miss a burger and fries."

"That, too. What is it about food?"

"Well, nutrients I think. Food makes people happy."

"So why do we miss a burger and fries and Austin"  
"Because we're losers."

"Ah."

Lisa smiled to herself and continued to watch. Jamie was now just sitting around on his broom, glancing about. She thought about the thing he was wearing on his head and how out of place he looked on the field wearing it. None of the other players were wearing anything like it. And it was cold outside, but not that cold. It was a little funny. Like he was so sensitive to temperature or something.

"Do you think Jamie will teach us how to play?" Lisa heard Karen ask.

"He might. But then that would really make us seem like spies to that other guy. What's his name?" wondered Skye.

"Dunno. Never said."

"Hmn."

"But you're right. It will make Jamie look like a traitor if he teaches us. Hey, I know! Lets ask Harry!"

"Harry? Why would we ask him? He doesn't know how to play, does he?"

"Didn't you know! He's the star player of the house team! Well, no, not last year 'cause he got kicked off-"

"For what?"

"Oh, Malfoy was a brat and said something silly and arrogant, and Harry and Fred - you don't know him, he left last year - jumped him and beat him to a bloody pulp. It was great, you should've seen it, but they got expelled from the team. At least they won before they beat him up otherwise, the team might've lost the game."

"Huh."

There was a long silence behind Lisa, and it was comfortable. They were all too distracted now watching the warm up game, the beaters beat the bludgers, and the chasers dash from goal to goal, tossing the quaffle to each other. Suddenly, Jamie moved.

"There he goes!" Lisa suddenly stood up with excitement.

Jamie made a dive to the ground and didn't pull up until the last second. A bludger shot toward him, but Jamie managed to dodge it and head right into the Gryffindor bleachers with a violent crash.

"Holy -"

"JAMIE!" screamed Lisa. The game stopped and one of the chasers flew over to the bleachers. They waited in silent anticipation and Jamie came stumbling out of the bottom of the bleacher, clutching his head.

"We should go down there and see if he's alright!" Lisa was about to go to the stairs when Karen spoke up.

"No, wait, he's okay, see? He's waving at us!" Lisa turned back and looked down. True enough, Jamie was just getting back on his broom.

"HEY JAMIE, YOU OKAY!" called out Skye, louder than a normal girl should scream. A hurt looking blimp came flying slowly toward them. As soon as he came to him, they could clearly see a large rip in his face mask and a trickle of blood dripping from the corner of his right eyebrow to an inch beneath his eye on his cheek.

"Crap!" declared Lisa.

"Holy shit!" agreed Karen.

"Damn straight!" concurred Skye.

"Thanks, I appreciate the love," Jamie grinned. There was never a time, it seemed to Lisa, that Jamie did not stop smiling, even when he was hurt.

"We should patch that up, just in case," said Skye.

"Just in case of what?"

They all glanced over to the trap door of the staircase, and Cat's head was popped out. She was making her up to the surface, staring at them.

"Because otherwise Jamie will get a sunburn," and Skye looked at her differently. Lisa noticed, and she wondered what that look meant.

"Oh, yes, sunburn," Cat corrected herself. "Well, I brought some of my knitting needles and yarn, could we stitch it up with that…"

"Jamie, don't you have to go back to playing?" asked Karen.

"Oh, no, uh, Zach gave me a break," Jamie told her, still holding the two ripped end with one hand while balancing himself on his broom with the other.

"Zach?"

"Zacharias Smith, he's captain of the Quidditch team. He's the one who came to get me, earlier," Jamie explained.

"Okay, stay still, Jamie." Cat was ready with her needle and thread. She leaned over the railing and began to stich up the giant rip in his mask.

"Jamie, why don't you let her take it off, so she can stitch it easier?" asked Lisa.

"No, no, no, no, as soon as she's done, I'll head back into the game, anyway," Jamie excused himself.

It took longer than expected. Perhaps, it only seemed longer for everyone was watching her and no one was speaking. Finally someone broke the silence.

"Jamie, this is taking forever."

* * *

Harry was sitting in the common room working away at his Potions essay which he knew was a load of crap. He was writing dribble down, things he didn't even know but he didn't really care. Dumbledore had miraculously saved their butts again, as he usually did when Harry became deep in odd situations with a far fetched but clearly probable explanation. He and Karen received a more appropriate punishment for being out of the dormitories at night, forty points from Gryffindor each, and a week's worth of detention(another week of detention for Harry). So maybe Harry would have liked to get away with it with out any punishment, but he did consider it better than how Professor Snape would have handled it. He probably would be on the train back to the Dursleys by now.

Thinking about that now, Harry felt much better about sitting in the common room writing his Potions essay.

Just then, Harry heard the portrait hole slam, and in came walking, a very angry looking Ron in jeans and a long-sleeve t-shirt. As he marched right passed Harry, he wondered why he didn't see him and asked out of the blue.

"You okay"  
Ron jumped at the sound of Harry's voice and whirled around. Harry could see clearly a big red imprint on his left cheek.

"Harry! When did you - I didn't realize you were here!" sighed Ron, grabbing his chest as if Harry had scared him. "People are saying you were expelled for um…" A blush came over Ron. "…for 'explicit activity.'"

"Well, I was, almost, if Dumbledore hadn't come to rescue me and Karen," explained Harry.

"So Karen is the crazy girl? Should've figured so…" Ron muttered the last bit, taking a seat in front of Harry across the table. "So did you get detention, then?"

"Yes"

"Yeah, me, too, just now for saying 'horny' in the library."

Harry stared at Ron.

"What on earth were you talking about to have gotten in trouble for that."

"Deer. We were talking about deer."

* * *

Draco was having a rather good day today.

He couldn't explain it, he was just so…happy.

"Draco? Are you listening?"

Draco glanced down at the pretty girl sitting beside him in the bottom of the broom closet. They had just gone through a long snog session, and he was feeling pretty good about it. Her head was resting on his chest, she was looking rather adorable.

"Hmn?"

"Just asked if you think Karen and Harry will get expelled," she told him. Draco was reminded of Harry Potter and his humiliation, and he realized his day was better than he thought.

"No, they'll probably get away with it," laughed Draco, quietly.

"Why do you think that? From the looks of it, not counting everything that Karen babbled about, Karen and Harry just came back from having sex some…place. Maybe this very broom closet!" sparked Cat. A smirk fell from Draco's face.

"Please don't say that."

"Creeps you out a little, doesn't it?" pondered Cat.

"Please don't say that again."

Cat giggled. She couldn't help it; it was funny how he squirmed. She leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"I don't get you," she confessed. Draco glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. He rose his eyebrows and shifted his legs.

"Oh yes, I'm very mysterious," said Draco laying it on thick. Cat smiled, not responding. She then got up, startling Draco.

"Where are you going?" he asked, a little too bitterly hurt that she looked like she was going to leave.

"C'mon, let's get out of this closet. Let's go to the Quidditch field. I have a friend on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, and I was invited to come watch them practice," she explained. Now Draco was on his feet.

"No, let's stay," he told her, taking her hands.

"What's wrong with going?" she asked.

"What's wrong with staying?" he replied, shrugging. Now Cat's confused, hopeful look had changed from the turning of the wheels in her head into a untrustful, hurt look.

"So, that's it, huh?" asked Cat, her tone of voice sounding like salty water.

"That's what it?" wondered Draco. She yanked her hands out of his.

"You're hiding me? Is that it?" she accused him.

"What! NO!" he barked, which he probably shouldn't have considering they were not suppoed to be in a broom closet and people could probably hear him outside. Yet, Draco did not care so much.

"Then what is it!"

"It's - nothing, okay, I just want to stay in here, and…"

As soon as he cupped her face with his hands, Cat tore away.

"So is it my friends? My Hufflepuff friend?"

"Well, that's one thing, why hang out with that dolts you do? Those Gryffindor girls and the Ravenclaw!" exclaimed Draco. "But that's not - what I mean is -"

"Just because they're from one house, and I'm from another? I can't believe this! Is that all you ever see people? Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Slytherin? Is that really how you define our classmates!" demanded Cat.

"That IS how they are defined here!" he shouted. Cat looked so affronted she jostled the door knob, and when it didn't open, she picked up an empty bucket, and slammed down onit hard, knocking it off, when she clearly could have used her wand. She came stomping out of the broom closet and down the hallway. Draco dared not go after her.

Draco learned from his parents a long time ago that women, when angry, were meant to be left alone.

* * *

"Please don't say 'wiggling eyebrows', it's too funny," laughed Karen.

They were sitting in the bleachers watching Jamie and the rest of the team practice rolls. Time and time again, the lined up back to where they were last, fly a few feet before dropping and rolling. It was a repeated practice, that Lisa assumed, was just in case if they fell off their brooms or to dodge bludgers.  
The girls were talking about some weird stories they read and so forth. Nothing of real importance.

"You know what I want to do? I wanna see Howl's Moving Castle," Lisa confessed.

"Really? Isn't that by the same guy who did Spirited Away?" perked up Skye.

"Hayao Miyazaki," answered Lisa and Karen caught on.

"You people and your anime," Cat sneered playfully. She was knitting away a scarf of Slytherin colors.

"Why are knitting a scarf? Didn't you get a Slytherin scarf, too?" asked Karen, peering at her work.

"Yeah….yeah, I did, I'm just knitting it for the hell of it," she explained.

"I know, why don't you knit a Hogwarts scarf?" sparked Karen, grinning brightly.

"Hogwarts sca-yeaaaaaaaaaah…" Skye understood. "That's a great idea. I mean, so like anyone from any house could wear it."

"Mmm, why don't you just do a rainbow scarf? And put purple in for Professor Dumbledore," added Lisa, looking back to the practice. They were now practicing diving techniques.

"Well, purple really isn't defined as theHeadmaster's color," spoke up Skye, looking back, too.

"I think he looks nice in purple. For a really old guy," mentioned Karen. Cat stopped knitting. She glanced at Skye.

"Skye, you've been here longer than all of us put together. What do you think of Slytherin?" asked Cat. Skye was startled by the questions. She glanced away, in every direction but at Cat.

"Oh you know….I hated them…" muttered Skye. Cat dropped her knitting tools, and her mouth fell open.

"You hated them!" demanded Cat.

"Well, what do you expect! Slytherin kept screwing up our keeper with these silly 'Weasley is our King' chants, and what, not only that, but their ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, purposefully put a monster in the school that like, petrified a whole tone of people, and they are such a bitter house with the whole anti-muggleborne thing they've got going on, which I don't even get since you're in Slytherin-"

"What? Muggleborne? What're you talking about!" demanded Cat, standing up. Skye stared at her.

"You don't know, do you?" realized Skye. Karen's hand shot into the air.

"OH! OH! I know! May I?" shrieked Karen. Skye gleefully assumed the role of teacher in her special Professor Snape voice.

"Tell me, Miss Hartbums, do you take pride in being an insufferable know it all! Well, I guess if you're pratically slobbering everywhere to answer, you have my sniveling permision!"

Karen gave an ungrateful glare at snickering Lisa and Skye.

"That's Hartholmes, beyotch."

Cat folded her arms over her chest

"Alright, already, Karen, talk!" ordered Comander-in-Chief Cat. Karen snapped back into Hermione-mode.

"Right! A muggle borne is a witch or wizard who is born from two non-magic parents," explained Karen. "So someone like me, generally. Although, you're not really a muggleborne, you're more of a halfblood 'cause your dad's a-"

"Wizard, right, I get it. So Slytherin has got some thing against mugglebornes?" asked Cat, not quite believing.

"Oh yeah. Majority, if not, everyone in the Slytherin house is a pureblood and in one way or another, related. See in the wizarding world, some wizards think they're better than others because they are 'pureblood' witches or wizards, coming from an all wizard family. So it confuses me how you got in, being halfblood," explained Skye. She sat down, now changed just a little.

"So wait, my house is mostly prejudiced against basically, my people?" Cat concluded from the series of explanations. Skye nodded. Cat groaned.

"Great. How genuinely great?"

"And you know what? Have you told that Malfoy guy? Maybe if you told him, he'd finally go away," thought Skye. Cat froze. _Wait. Oh no, what if Malfoy found out? Would he really dump me? What! Wait a minute, I should dump him! But shit, we only just got together last night! But then again that was before I found out he was racist bastard! Oh…but he's so cute._

"Who's Malfoy?" wondered Karen. Cat looked at her, surprised.

"He's the guy who made fun of my drawing. Don't you remember?" asked Cat. Karen started at her for a long time.

"Oh yeaaaaaaaaaaah. Draco Malfoy. Right. Harry hates that guy."

"You and Harry, I swear. Next thing you know, you're gonna have a baby!" Skye stated bitterly.

"For the last time, we didn't do anything!" snapped Karen, to which no one really believed her.

"Hey, it could be worse," spoke up Lisa. They were all quiet thinking how it could be worse, but then Lisa finished.

"Harry could have the baby."

* * *

"What happened?" asked Harry, bewildered. "What did you say to get her so worked up to hit you!"

Harry was now on the edge of his seat leaning over the table. Ron had big red mark on his face where he had explained Hermione had hit him.

"I don't know, I just…"

"You didn't mention, Victor, did you?" asked Harry, knowing that always got her worked up. Ron's face flushed bright red from the source of his ears.

"Nooo," he growled. "I didn't mention him. All I asked about was whathappened to her hair?"

"What? What did happen to her hair?" asked Harry, curiously, wondering how hair could get Hermione upset.

"Well, she straightened it. Used some kind of spell, I think," presumed Ron, fiddling with a crease in the wooden table. Harry noticed the awkwardness, but he was more concerned why one of his best friends would suddenly change.

"Why would she do that?" asked Harry.

"That's what I wanted to know! I told her if she was doing it to get some guy's attention, she would best to leave it bushy, and that's when she just hit me in the face with one of her books! I swear, she is dangerous with those books…" muttered Ron. "'Cept now she's using them to hit people with."

Harry caught on.

"Wait, did she change her hair to get someone's attention?" asked Harry.

"I don't know," moped Ron. "Probably."

Harry thought about it.

"Ron, maybe it's -"

SLAM.

Both Ron and Harry looked up to see Hermione climbing out of the portrait hole. Her hair was no longer in the straight manner Ron had said it was, but in a tamed bushy state.

"Oh, Harry!" Her face lit up, but then she gave Ron an undeserved look of annoyance, not really addressing him. Ron returned it. She walked over.

"Are you alright? Pavrati and Lavender were talking about you;they said you and Karen were doing something…um, reproductive."

Harry's face reddened.

"Reproductive. Nice choice of words, Hermione," Harry said sarcastically.

"So it's true?" wondered Hermione, a look of worry and disbelief crossing her face. Harry sighed.

"No, it's not true," declared Harry, going back to his essay now. He didn't want to talk about it anymore.

Hermione noticed Ron was staring at her, mouth hanging open. She did a double take.

"…what?"

Ron blew up.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HAIR!" demanded Ron. Harry jumped.

"I turned it back like you told me to!" snapped Hermione, just as infuriated. Harry rolled his eyes and went back to scribbling down useless explanations and examples.

"I didn't tell you that!"

"Yes, you did! You said I shouldn't change the way I look for some boy!"

"Yeah, I told you that, but I didn't tell you to change it!"

"I thought you hated it!"

"When did I say I hated it!"

There tone of voice started to fade.

"So you didn't hate it?"

"No, I thought it was…nice."

They were kind of quiet now, both not looking at each other.

"I gotta go," and with that Hermione was dashing up the steps to the Girls' Dormitory. Ron didn't watch her go. But after a while, he realized she was gone and sat down with a giant sigh. Harry glanced up at him.

"She wears me out."

Harry thought about it.

"All girls do."

Just then, there was another slam and in came rushing a very determined looking Karen. She jumped into Harry's lap with not so much as a "how do you do" and stated her purpose.

"Teach me Quidditch, Master Obiwan."


	11. I Believe in a Thing Called Love

Author's Note:

Thank you for readin Chapters 1-10. Do not see the music video to this song 'cause you will turn to stone.

Song: The Darkness - I Believe in a Thing Called Love

* * *

Chapter 11. I Believe in a Thing Called Love

Harry sat there in dull surprise in his jeans and t-shirt. He continually stared at the dark haired girl with brown eyes and a serious expression. She was dressed in jeans and a brown t-shirt with the word "Gangsta" written in yellow. He turned to Ron who was staring at both of them confused.

"I prove my point."

"Prove what point?" asked Karen, her seriousness gone in the blink of an eye.

"Nothing. You want me to teach you Quidditch?" he asked her, getting back to the situation.

"Yes, teach me Quidditch, please. Skye tells me you were on the team. Actually, can you teach her, too? We both want to get on the team," explained Karen. Harry forgot he was kicked off the team. He had just assumed he would get back on. However, he suddenly remembered Ginny. Would it be fair to just go back to being seeker when she finally got on the team? Were there going to be tryouts again?

"Um, yeah, yeah, I was. But are you sure? Do you already know how Quidditch goes?" asked Harry.

"Harry!" groaned Ron, butting into the conversation. "You're still going to be on the team, aren't you?"

"Well, what about Ginny?" asked Harry.

"What about Ginny? If you ask her, she'll definitely switch to chaser now that Angelina has graduated," explained Ron. Harry felt a little ray of hope for him.

"Oh, okay, I guess I'll ask her."

"Who's Ginny?" asked Karen.

"My little sister," answered Ron.

"Oh, does she have long red hair and-"

"Yeah, that's her," agreed Ron.

"Oh, she's cool," Karen replied nodding her head. She glanced back at Harry. "Yeah, Jamie explained it to me how it works. I don't know what I want to try out for, though. Maybe a chaser? Or the beaters. The beaters look like they're having a good time"  
Ron snickered. This did not go unseen.

"What? What's wrong with beater?" asked Karen. Ron's smirk did not fade.

"Well, it's just that…well, only boys play beaters. Not many girls are good beaters," explained Ron. Karen's mood did not lighten. She didn't understand. But she was not confused either.

"So wait, you think I won't be a good beater? 'Cause I'm not a boy?"

"No, what I mean is, you won't be as good of a beater. 'Cause girls don't have as good of upper body strength as boys do," he rephrased what he said. However, it didn't help. Harry could feel Karen getting very angry. He wondered if he had mentioned to Ron what Karen did in the forest.

With that said, Karen slammed her elbow on the table and outstretched her hand.

"Arm wrestle me," she ordered him.

Ron was baffled at the idea at first, but then smiled and put his elbow on the table, too.

"Fine, you're on."

Just on time, Skye came walking into the room to see Karen sitting on Harry's lap and holding hands with Ron. She dared not to ask. Instead, she ripped Karen off of Harry's lap and from Ron's grasp.

"Whoa!"

"Look, I don't want to know," began Skye, "but did Karen ask you about Quidditch lessons?"

Harry nodded, bewildered, as she pushed Karen into a chair and sat on her.

"Skye, you're even weirder than me," muttered Karen in the loveseat.

"Not possible, Karen," Skye replied in the same tone, then addressed Harry, tucking a piece of hair behind an ear. "Yes, but I'd like you to know, you don't have to teach us. I mean, we could always get Jamie to teach us."

"Oh," thought Harry. "Jamie, the guy who punched me?"

Skye's smile fell.

"He punched you?"

"What?" declared Ron, fully awake now more than ever. Harry felt his face grow hot.

"Look, it wasn't that big of a deal, it was a mistake, that's all," explained Harry.

"And what, your face fell into his fist?" Karen presumed.

"Well, that settles it, Karen and I will just take lessons from Jaime, I mean, even if he's not in our house, it makes no difference. Besides he owes us one," Skye proceeded to get off Karen and take her to the portrait hole. "And Ginny knows how to play, too, so she could teach us-"

"W-wait, did he do this, Harry?" asked Karen, demonstrating with her hand stretched out like a handshake.

"Yeah," Harry nodded.

"Yeah, if it's palm up, that means it's like screwy, and he's about to hit you."

"Wait, so it's a trick"  
"Not, it's an inside joke. Jamie thinks it's a world wide thing now, but it's just a joke between me and my brother."

Harry stared at her, confused and surprised at the idea. What was it with the stupid American kids and their tendencies to hurt each other?

"Silly, I know," interjected Skye.

"I know what you're thinking," Karen grinned. Harry blinked at her.

"What? What am I thinking?" he asked.

"You're thinking what is with American teenagers today," Karen surprised him. That was pretty much what he had thought. Karen was now no longer caged by Skye, but leaning against the furniture next to Harry.

"Yep, You're thinking what is with American teenagers today, and why are they sooooooo hot," laughed Karen. Feeling like he was shoved off a cliff after a series of shoves passed between them, Harry leaped at Karen in attempt to strangle her.

"Nope, nope, you can get me, Mr. Potter, I'm not a Snitch!" laughed Karen, dodging Harry's tackle and leaping onto the couch. He followed her as she leaped onto the furniture in a circle, finally up the Girl Dormitory steps where Harry tried to reach her, but the stairs receded, and formed a slide from Karen's feet and down. Harry landed in a tumbled.

"Geez, you two," groaned Ron, helping Harry onto his feet.

"Do you take joy in teasing me!" Harry honestly asked.

"Yep," agreed Karen, sliding down. "You look so cute flustered."

Just as she said, Harry became even more flustered and even more cute. Karen was so overcome with the cuteness that she hugged Harry to her bossom right out of Ron's hands.

"OMG, YOU ARE JUST SO CUTE!" she squealed. Harry dared not say anything, much less he could. He was suffocated by breast.

"Awwwwww, group hug!" agreed Skye, hugging Karen and Harry. Ron shrugged, and joined in, and soon enough, Harry was wondering what was wrong with Hogwarts and why they allowed such girls in.

"What'd you say, Harry?" asked Skye.

"Um Quidditch?" he muffled.

"Right, so, um we'll learn from someone else," Skye stated again.

"Good idea."

* * *

The next day, Karen got up earlier than usual. She was all decked out in sweat pants, the sleeves cut off another sweatshirt, a long sleeve shirt underneath it, and old tennis shoes. She was the perfect image of a male 80's break dancer. Not many of the Gryffindor students got it, only Hermione did and always looked on the verge of giggles when she saw her.

"Where are you…where are you going?" asked Hermione, snickering. Karen was tying back her hair. She hadn't brushed her hair yet, so her hair looked like the prickles of a porkepine.

"I'm going to go, um, play Quidditch with Jamie, today. He's going to teach Skye and me the woiks," she said, adding accent to "works."

"Oh? Why don't you just ask Madam Hooch?" asked Hermione.

"Ahaha, no way. She spooks me out."

Ron laughed, sitting at the breakfast table with Hermione and her.

"Madam Hooch spooks you out? And what, Snape doesn't?"

"It's the eyes, maaaan," Karen insinuated giving them her weird impression of the eyes. "They're like children of the damned from that movie with Christie Alley."

"Christie who?" wondered Ron.

"Oh, I saw that movie. It was a little daft, if you ask me."

"Yeah, but it still freaked me out. I mean, good Lord, can you imagine having a pregnant 13 year old!"

Ron eyed both of them, a little weirded out.

"You two, really," Ron muttered. Karen was just done buttering her toast when Skye got up from her seat across from Ron.

"Well, we best get going-"

"Wait, what about toast?"

"C'mon, take it with you," urged Skye, and Karen got up, shoving the piece of toast in her mouth.

"See ya," she muffled between the food.

"Bye," waved Ron and Hermione. As Skye and Karen walked toward the exit, the passed Harry who gave them both a second look, blinking. He took Skye's seat in front of Ron.

"Nice of you to finally wake up," greeted Hermione, before sipping her coffee. Harry just looked back at the two girls walking away and then back at his friends.

"Was that Skye and Karen? Why are the dressed like 80s break dancers?" asked Harry. Hermione burst into laughter. Ron rolled his eyes.

"They're going to go practice Quidditch. That reminds me, this morning, while you were sleeping, McGonagall anounced Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts next weekend. Since it's only fair, the new positions open are seeker, chaser, and both beaters," explained Ron.

"What happened to last year's beaters?" asked Harry after yawning. He picked up a muffin and sliced it in half.

"They quit after last year, I mean, did you see them? They were getting beaten more than they were beating," said Ron.

"I don't know if they were that bad," said Harry wiping butter between the muffin.

"Well, either way, they decided they weren't cut out for beating, and now its open."

"Great, that means Skye and Karen have a chance, right?" thought Harry aloud.

"I don't know, mate. I don't think they're quite cut out for it either…"

* * *

"What was that, forty"

Lisa, Karen, Skye, and Cat were all on their backs hands behind their head with Jamie leading them, walking around and watching them. He was dressed in sweats and a pull over with the same sewed up mask over his head.

"I don't know, I think," groaned Karen. "Jamie, has anyone told you you look like a burglar?"

"Gees, why am I even doing this! It's not like I need to loose weight or anything!" Cat exasperated. "And even if I learned Quidditch, its not like they'll even let me on the house team!"

"What? 'Cause you're halfblood?" asked Karen.

"Well, there's that, if anyone finds out, but mostly 'cause I'm a girl! They don't let girls on the House team," explained. "Didn't even let Millicent Bulstrode on, the prats."

"Jerks!" concurred Lisa, then she spat at Jamie, "Jamie, why aren't you doing this?"

Lisa did not like being made a fool of.

"'Cause I had to do this yesterday, plus, I like the view from here." he explained with a smirk. "Now, if no one can remember we'll have to start right back at one."

"Forty!" They shouted.

"Right, one…two…three…four…five…six…seven…eight…nine…"

"Fifty!" They shouted. Jamie continued counting, and the continued to doing sit-ups or crunches until they got to one-hundred, to which they proceeded to do push ups. Most preferred doing girly kind, but Jamie forced them into doing the original push ups. And if that was not enough, he would make them do in fours where witch each count they lowered themselves bit by bit until they were an inch from the ground at four and then made them push back up and start at two, then go by four, then back to three. It was an agonizing torture for them, but quite okay for Jamie. He was used to this after playing for a year now.

"When, huff, did you start playing Quidditch, huff, Jamie?" asked Skye as he ran with them around the Quidditch field.

"Started playing, huff, when I was twelve at Shelby Farms after my first year of Hogwarts," said Jamie. "Then I got on the team just last year since Cedric Diggory died the year before and a few graduated too so they had an openings."

"Huff, no shit?"

"No shit, huff."

"What did he die, huff, from?" asked Karen who had heard of the whole conversation.

"Oh, huff, You-Know-Who killed him," he stated bluntly. With that, Karen tripped and took Skye down with her.

"YAH!"

KEHFLUMP.

* * *

"Alright, mount your brooms," commanded Jamie. Jamie had managed to steal a few brooms from Madam Hooch. All of the girls, except Skye had an awkwardness toward the normally cleaning equipment. They each picked up the brooms, and flipped a leg over the side.

"Oh, this is so weird on so many levels," muttered Cat.

"Right, Jamie, now how do we flllYYYYYYYYY?" and Lisa went flying off on her broom. Jamie freaked at the speed she was going, and he leaped onto his Starburst and went flying after her. Karen, Skye, and Cat just numbly watched.

"Whoa," they agreed.

"So wait, how do we fly these things?" asked Cat.

"I don't know. Think happy thoughts?" wondered Karen.

"That's total Peter Pan crap, and this is not fairy dust."

"Hey, Skye, does fairy dust really make you fly?"

"I don't know, fairies are an endangered species now so fairy dust is very expensive and rare."

"Figures."

"Hey, look, I'm floating!"

True enough, Cat was floating.

"Just like Dib's dad," murmured Karen.

"What was that?" wondered Cat as she eyed Karen.

"I was just asking myself how stunning you can look in those smelly sweats!"

"Ahaha, very funny, Karen. Let's see you try!"

Karen stared down at her broom like she wondered how it got there. She was not moving.

"I can't. Don't know how."

Skye, who was hovering on her broom with Cat, decided to touch back down in sympathy. She leaned over, wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and leaned over to whisper something to her. With that, Karen blushed profusely, and she nodded.

"Good?" asked Skye, smiling cheerfully.

"Okay," she nodded again, and with out much more difficulty, the broom lifted her off the ground. Karen sang happily.

"Whoo-hoooooooooooo!"

"Ohohohoho, you did it! Oh yeah! Who did it? You did it!" sang Skye.

"I did it, oh yeah, I did it!" joined in Karen.

"She did it, she did it, oh yeah, she did it!"

"I did it"  
"Oh yeah, you did it! Oh yeah, oh yeah!"

"Break it down!"

"Guys!"

They both stopped dancing on their brooms, and from Jamie's annoyed look with Lisa riding on the broom beside him. They both darted eyes away, guilt ridden and embarrassed.

"Done?" he asked.

"Yeaaaaaaah."

"Uh-huh."

"Yes, sir."

With that said, Jamie began teaching them more about flying. He showed them special moves like the Wronski feint, and he taught them how to tumble gracefully so as not to break a bone. They then proceeded to practice in rounds the moves, and it wasn't until noon did he finally let them stop for a water and lunch break.

Just in time, for Harry, Ron, and Hermione decided to go out to the field to see how they were doing. They were muddy.

Karen was decked, head to toe in bits of clothing not touched by mud. The rest of her was. She was also sweaty, hot, and so dirty she couldn't stand it. Harry could barely stand it.

"You brought us lunch? Thanks Hermione!" Karen said with a smile as Hermione handed her the basket. Skye glanced over at the basket, looked inside, then looked back at Hermione with big watery eyes.

"Oh my God, Hermione, I love you. You. Are. The. BEST!" she cried and attempted to hug her, but Hermione stopped her to Harry's surprise. Skye became aware she was dirty and sincerely understood and apologized.

"Oh, whoops. Sorry."

"No problem," Hermione smiled. Karen glanced at Harry and Harry glanced at her. He could see the light bulb above her head.

"Harry!" she called out, tossing the basket sideways to Skye, and tackling Harry in all her muddy, gross glory.

"Ewwww!Yuck"

"Oh stop being a girl!"

* * *

They were now all sitting on the bottom stairs of the bleachers, the girls too tired to walk all the way up to sit and have lunch. Harry and the others decided to join them with their lunches, too, and innocently, they talked about the dumbest things. Even Jamie joined them, and finally, in the shade, he took off the mask to eat.

"So wait, you've never heard of Monty Python? And you live in ENGLAND?" Karen put emphasis on the word. Ron raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, so?" answered Ron.

"You've never heard of Monty Python and the Flying Circus?" asked Hermione, caught by surprise as well. Harry continued to eat his tunafish sandwich. Ron was confused.

"No, why?"

"They're only just the biggest, funniest comedians in the history of comedy!" exclaimed Hermione, lowering a half bitten apple from her face.

"Dude, I live in America, and even I've heard of them! My little brother's even got Monty Python and the Holy Grail on DVD," said Karen.

"Hey, guys, check this out," said Cat, unpeeling her bannana. Harry and the others glanced up.

And the innocence was gone.

"Oh crap," cursed Lisa, recognizing the often cafeteria joke and looking the other way.

"No, no,no, Cat, don't do that!" Jamie laughed, and Cat stopped what she was doing and broke into giggles.

"That is so crude!" Hermione spat, hiding her smirk.

"Oh, right," Ron agreed even though he wasn't quite sure what she was about to do.

"Oh, but you're smiling!" pointed Cat. She leaned down to poke Hermione in the cheek. "See, she's smiling! Miss Brain can recognize a good joke when she sees it!"

Harry sat there numbly confused and feeling a little out of place. He felt himself drifting away with his silence, but then Karen pulled him in.

"Sorry, I got you all muddy, Harry," apologized Karen. Harry glanced at her, and smiled to himself.

"It's okay," he assured her.

"So when did you start playing Quidditch?" asked Karen.

"When I was eleven, when I first came to Hogwarts, really. McGonagall took me out of class for me to learn from Wood," explained Harry.

"Wood?"

"The old Quidditch Captain before you came," explained Harry. "He was keeper before Ron."

"You play Quidditch, too, Ron?" asked Karen, turning to him with a surprised look. She still seemed a little angry at him from yesterday.

"Oh yeah, I'm on the house team with Harry," nodded Ron, and Harry felt something rise in him like embarrassment and/or guilt. He honestly thought he was back on the team, but whenever he caught himself thinking like that he stopped himself, accusing himself of being presumptuous and insensitive.

"I'm not on it, yet," explained Harry. Karen looked at him, confused. "I was on it, but then I was banned, and I was replaced, and now the ban is lifted. You can see how this a little awkward now."

"Oh, I don't see how it's awkward," began Ron, then through his half eaten sandwich, finished, "Saying you're going to try out, Harry, is pretty much saying you're on, anyway."

"It's not fair to Ginny," Hermione cut in. "But Ron's right. If you ask her, she might switch to another position." Then she something caught her eye, and her expression darkened. "Oh no, what's he doing here?"

Harry glanced up and frowned when he spotted the person in the distance they were all watching.

Draco Malfoy. He was making way toward them. He was dressed in black collared t-shirt and black jeans and sneakers, striding, not marching, taking time with his hand tucked in his pockets. Cat had to admit. He looked rather dashing and determined. Maybe all he needed to come to his senses was to sleep on it.

Harry stood up and then Ron as Draco stopped in front of them, head bent with steady, piercing eyes. Cat didn't look at him, but she could feel them on her throat, on her face, on her chest, on her legs, everywhere.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" demanded Harry with a suspicious, venomous look. Malfoy glanced at Harry and then back at Cat.

"Caitlin, what're you doing out here?" he asked. Cat could feel their surprise that he addressed her. Cat didn't say anything. She was wondering the same thing, since he seemed so ashamed of her, so ashamed of her "bad" company.

"Why do you care?" sneered Ron. Malfoy turned to look at him with the same superior, equally displeased look.

"'Cause she's my girlfriend."


	12. Take me out

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading Chapters 1-11. Sorry for the inconveinance, our operators are standing by.

Song: Franz Ferdinand - Take me Out

* * *

Chapter 12. Take me Out

Everyone felt the words hit them like a ton of bricks, all of them but Cat who was wearing a look of surprise and disbelief. The center of attention was smiling broadly. She was in a happy place where girlfriends who are won back by their still caring boyfriends go.

"Wait…" began Karen, attempting to get the bigger picture with her hands. She turned to Cat pointing from her to him, "You're dating this guy?"

Cat nodded shyly, still smiling at Draco. Harry, Ron, and everyone stood or sat in in silent shock.

"But he's…" began Hermione. "He's a filthy monster! He's vile, and rude, and conceited, and frankly, he most ugly, meanest boy in Hogwarts!"

"The feeling is mutual, mud blood," hissed Malfoy. He would have been beaten into a bloody state in the next few seconds if Harry hadn't held Ron back.

"What did you call her?" asked Cat, getting up from her seat. Draco glanced at Cat's now confused, "as if should she be angry or not" look, and Harry could have sworn he saw a glimmer of fear in his eyes.

"How did you get so disgusting?" asked Draco, changing the subject. Cat glanced down and she discovered that, yes, indeed, she was rather disgusting. Her backside was brown and there were imprints of mud everywhere across her front and sweat stains under her armpits. There were was some dirt in her hair, too, for some reason, and straw grass from the Quidditch field.

"Uh, I've been practicing Quidditch," she explained. Draco looked surprised at first then aghast.

"With who? Harry Potter and the Pussy Cats?" asked Draco, gesturing to the company.

"WHAT THE FUCK!"

That was Ron and Harry.

"I used to watch that cartoon, like, all the time," Karen randomly commented.

"Oh come on, now… doesn't the mud look good on me?" mocked Cat. True enough, she was right. Somehow she could even make filth look attractive on her.

"You look gorgeous," said Draco, half serious, half joking. He outstretched a hand up to her. "Come away with me."

At that line, all of the women in proximity suddenly recognized how romantic that sounded. Even Hermione had to admit that was the romantic thing she'd ever heard so far.

"Oh sure," and the girls had to admit that was the most unromantic reply they'd ever heard so far.

"Wait, wait a minute!" exclaimed Harry, stopping Cat from her way down the few steps of the stairs.

"What?" demanded Cat, her hand still lingering in Draco's hand that was outstretched.

"You're really dating him?" Harry wanted to know for sure. There couldn't be possibly anyway someone as pretty and, frankly, "cool" as Cat to go out with some as ugly and mean as Draco Malfoy. Why would she ever go out with him? Harry held her in such high opinion, over looking the fact she was Slytherin and everything.

Alas, Cat nodded slowly, eyeing Harry like he was crazy. Draco pushed passed him, and led a way down for Cat to walk.

"Malfoy!" snapped Hermione, greatly astounded that this was happening.

"Sod off," Draco responded without much enthusiasm. Cat glanced back at Hermione apologetically, but went with Draco, nonetheless, as he held her hand.

"Okay, you can go off, but break is over in fifteen minutes!" called out Jamie to them as they walked off, shaking his fist in the air. Ron watched still disturbed and defeated.

"There goes my last bit of respect for her."

* * *

"Have I won you back, yet?" asked Draco, looking at her, raising a brow. 

"Oh, yes," Cat grinned. They stopped walking once they were out of site behind the entrance of the Quidditch field.

"Good. Now, why the hell are playing Quidditch with those losers! Why didn't you just ask me!" he demanded.

"You play Quidditch?" asked Cat, surprised. Draco raised a bros, confused that she didn't know.

"Yes, I'm the Slytherin team seeker!" he exclaimed. Cat looked him up and down.

"You don't look anything like Jamie, Harry, or Ron," Cat affirmed. "I mean, they always look a bit dirty or ruffled."

"Thank you. I take pride in my appearance," explained Draco, smirking.

"Well, you do look good in black," Cat smiled to herself, adjusting his collar. Her hands were clean, since she washed them off to eat and left no mark on the nice shirt. Draco watched her as she gently smoothed it out and the shoulders. It was a nice shirt, but still rather wrinkled. Cat found the mark where she had kissed him on the neck. It was still there.

"It's still there," she whispered. He felt her finger it and knew what she was admiring.

"I know. Can't get it off," he murmured. She smelled very nice for someone who went romping in the mud. An earthy scent of reality.

"Yeah, mine's still there, too. Let's make it permanent!" and Cat withdrew her wand, but Draco stopped her.

"Uh, no, I don't think that's so great. I'd hate to wear turtle necks and collared shirts for the rest of my life," exclaimed Draco. Cat blinked.

"Why would you do that?" asked Cat.

"Ahem, how 'bout my parents? The prying eyes of the usual school faculty?" Draco brought to mind. Cat remembered school rules and how suspicious the mark would be. It would go away after a while, though. Somehow, the thought brought her no comfort.

"Oh yes. Right," she lowered her wand. "How did you find me?"

"Pansy Parkinson saw you earlier today in this muggle get up," he told her, looking her up and down again. Cat narrowed her eyes.

"Damn, pugfaced beyotch," cursed Cat. "What'd you do, ask around?"

"Assuming that Pansy Parkison hates your guts, I knew that she would know exactly where you were," he informed her.

"Wow, you're good then," she smirked, entwining her arms around his waist, getting him literary dirty. He winced like it was painful. "Now, how are you gonna teach me Quidditch if you're so afraid of a little mud?"

He wiggled her arms from his waist with a nervous smile.

"Ahaha, not like this, I'm not," Draco scoffed.

"So? You gonna go change and finish up Quidditch practice with me and the others?" asked Cat. Draco sighed.

"I can't. I'm meeting my father today in a little while. If you want, you can finish up with the rest of those idiots, and I'll see you later tonight," he told her.

"I thought you didn't want me to hang out with those 'idiots?'" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Draco looked down at her, then behind her where the resided. His eyes were full of an evil green, she could only identify as maybe hatred and jealousy.

"I despise them, the lot of them… but I'd rather you learn with them than not at all before tryouts next weekend. There are a few positions open," he told her, secretively. Her suspicious look increased.

"They're never gonna let someone like me, on the team!" she spat, ungratefully.

"There's something you should know about me," Draco told her. He was close to her now, invading her personal space like he usually did, almost as if her personal space did not exist. "It's that I can get what I want, whatever I want, with money and time"  
Cat stared at him, confused and a little bewitched. He smiled at her, then leaned down to kiss her softly, before leaving. He kissed her again, and at the second kiss she responded, kissing him back almost like signing a contract with blood. Satisfied just a bit, his hand slipped from hers.

"See you tonight," and he walked away in all the grace and stride of a man with power.

* * *

"No, like this." 

Karen demonstrated by twittering her pinkeys. She was making some sort of pattern with thread and her fingers. Ron attempted to do it again, but it was not working for him. He continuously made the same paralell line with no geometric pattern at all.

"No, no, no, you see it goes here….and here…"

"I'm assuming you're done eating then," Jamie spoke up from the pointless instruction. He was getting impatient with his friends, Lisa, Skye, and Karen who were all sitting around, cleary done with their meals and resting.  
"I guess they're done talking," said Skye. They all, being Harry, Ron, Hermione, Karen, Jamie, and Lisa, looked up. In deed, she was walking toward them. Hermione got up dusted herself off from the dirty stairs.

"Well, I'm going back to Gryffindor Tower to do a bit of reading," she said. "See you at dinner"  
Ron watched her go, then untangled his fingers from the red string in a sense.

"Wait, I'll go with you," and Ron left with Hermione. Now the only one of the trio left was Harry.

"Care to join our motely crew, Harry, and leave the couple be?" snickered Karen. Harry raised a brow. "We could call ourselves the Sensational Six? Snazzy, huh?"

"You still think they fancy each other?" he asked, ignoring the last comments.

"Without a doubt," agreed all the women together.

"You guys talking about Ron and Hermione?" asked Cat, who just came within vicinity to hear them. Harry was still a bit displeased with her so he didn't say anything but glare at her.

This did not go undetected.

"Dude, what is it with you guys? I just walked by the love birds, and they were giving me the Evil Eye," she claimed.

"With good reason," sneered Skye, stepping down to shake her by the shoulders "You're with that smelly, worthless git!"

Cat shoved her away, stepping back, violently.

"I'll have you know that smelly, worthless git is my ticket to getting on the Slytherin team!" she exclaimed.

"Lemme guess, since you're dating him he's buying you a spot on the Slytherin team," presumed Harry, eyes narrowed, venomous tone. The girls were surprised, but not Jamie. He assumed the same.

"Oh yeah!" she answered, striking a fist into the air.

"Which means, you won't get in on talent. Make you feel better, pumpkin? Maybe I won't teach you, then, seeing as how all my trouble has gone to waste!" Jamie sneered, getting up and marching away, but not before putting on his mask. Over his shoulder, he shouted,

"BREAK OVER!"

* * *

Ron and Hermione were walking down the hallway when they passed Professor Firenze. He seemed busy talking to ex-Professor Trelawney. Apparently, Trelawney was preaching something to him that made no sense at all, from what they heard of the conversation. 

"…like a beaver who could not tell from rock and stone and laughed halfheartedly at the snail that could. So then I told him, the Duke of Amunrah that he would have to eat his porridge unless he was too stupid to compel himself to look at the stars and see the holes!"

Professor Firenze, looking confused as he was, took up the conversation where it left off.

"Um, yes, I fancy stars as well. In fact, I use them much in my teachings," he explained. He then spotted Ron and Hermione, motioned Trelawney for a moment, as he trodded toward them.

"Hello, Professor," greeted Hermione.

"Good afternoon, friends of Harry Potter," he greeted them. He was tall, taller than Ron, and towered above the students in varied measurements. "I was wondering if you might tell me where Harry Potter might be?"

"Yes, Professor, he's out on the Quidditch field when we last saw him, not too long ago," Hermione told me. "Um, you don't mind me asking why you want to see him?"

"No, I do not mind, but I cannot say. Good day, friends of Harry Potter," and with that, the Professor trotted off. Ron looked at Hermione, and she looked at him. Both could tell what the other was thinking.

What did Professor Firenze have to speak with Harry that was so private?

"Do you think it's some Order business?" asked Ron to Hermione, quietly, walking with her again.

"Professor Firenze has no business with the order. He has enough trouble as it is, being exiled from his own people," Hermione thought out. "I mean, can imagine it? Not being let back into your own home? And even your own family won't let you back in? That would be horrible…"

They were walking down the stairs, Ron falling in right beside her. From the corner of his eye, he watched her, eyes locked on the white marble stairs, bushy hair drifting behind her head. He wondered when she had grown older. He wondered when she suddenly became tragically beautiful.

"Wait, Hermione, stop," Ron found himself saying. Hermione awoke and looked at him, curiously. She did as he was told, and he walked down a few steps so that she was taller than him by five inches. He stared up at her. Hermione stared down at him, waiting.

Hermione was given a chance to look down at Ron, and indeed, she took the opportunity.. She noticed how his hair was long enough to reach his shoulders, she noticed how his eyes are grown stronger, but he still remained pale and freckled. But he was handsome. Very handsome.

Hermione realized what she was thinking and stopped herself, blinking. She grew impatient.

"Yes…?" Hermione exhaled, raising her hand and looking very much in the dark. Ron only smiled at her.

"You're old," he said, very unromantically.

"WHAT?"

"Oh, bloody hell, that's not what I meant, what I mean to say is that, Hermione, you're older! You're brilliantly old, oh damn, that sounded awful, too," Ron struggled for the words. Hermione was fuming with an emotion she was aquainted too well with Ron, along with one other.

"Even with a compliment, you struggle, Ron! Honestly, I was kidding when I said you had the emotional compacity of a teaspoon!" she snapped, shoving past him, and down the stairs.

"Wait, Hermione!" Ron whined, going down after her. It wasn't until they had made it to the portrait hole, did he finally nab her, grabbing her by the arm. Instinctively, she hit him, again, but this time with the lunch basket.

"Ow! JESUS! Will you stop with the hitting!" he demanded. A crowd was beginning to form around them.

"I don't know, let go!" she snapped. She was about to hit him again, when he grabbed her other hand. Now she had nowhere, to go, and the crowd whispered, noticing. He looked her dead in the eyes, with blaringly, blue eyes. He was as loyal as he was brave, and as bold as he was loyal. Hermione could see he was not afraid of her.

"Hermione, would you stop stomping off!" he requested sharply. She was so insulted, she couldn't begin to shout at him all of her rules he was breaking. Of course, they were all Jim Crow laws, nonetheless, he could have some propriety.

However, Hermione was scared. Not that Ron would hit her, no, or take advantage of the power he held of her, no. She was afraid because for the first time, Ron was superior. Normally, she was so brilliant, she towered over him with her intelligence and intellect. When she talked, it would seem she looked down on him, but in her mind, he was always equal. She could always admire him for his own qualities, things she wished she had. But now it seemed more obvious. Ron had always held her in the palm of his hand.

"You have to go stomping off, every time, I say something wrong, and dammit, Hermione, it's getting old!" he snapped at her. "I was just trying to compliment, and so what, I was having an epic struggle! We're not all as articulate and brainy as you!"

Hermione didn't say anything. She was so absorbed in his eyes, it was as if she was mesmerized.

"Now, I'm going to let go of you. And when I do, you're not going to hit me. No hitting, got it?" he told her. Hermione didn't nod or say anything. Ron just assumed from her deep stare that she understood. So Ron proceeded to let go, and he stepped back.

"YOU IMBECILE!" Hermione swung her basket above her head, and hit him.

"OW! WHAT THE BLOODY! OW- SHIT! OW!" Ron was being beaten with a wicker basket and by a girl two third's his height. Finally, after many blows, she beat him down to his knees, and she broke into the crowd, diving into the portrait hole.

* * *

Cat winced at the tart of his voice. Skye groaned, and the got up and dragged themselves the field. Harry watched them go, and Cat, interestingly enough, standing beside Harry, asked him what was so wrong. 

"Didn't you ask Jamie to teach you?" asked Harry to Cat.

"Yeah, so?" wondered Cat.

"Well, what was the point of asking him if what he's teaching you you're not even going to use to get on the team?" asked Harry, giving light to the situation. Cat stared at him.

"Wow. Oh my God, now I feel so bad. How were you able to figure that out and not me? I mean, I'm a girl! My sensitivity-radar should be blaring," Cat pondered. Harry shrugged. He couldn't explain it either, he just saw it.

"You know, you're not so bad, Harry. I mean, Draco might hate you and even if you did hurt Karen's feelings, probably even shag her, you're not so bad," she smiled at him, and she went off. Harry could feel his face go hot with embarrassment and confusion. Then surprising himself again, he decided to sit and watch the practice instead of going up to finish his much piled work.

Practice started much like Quidditch practice was like for him.

" Okay, back on your brooms. Since you're trying out for keeper, Lisa, let's get your job over since it's more flying and watching than actual involvement with the game," he explained. "Karen, Skye, practice your dives."

Cat was not addressed, to her expected disappointment, and so she just followed Skye and Karen. Harry watched them dive and, just before hitting the ground, pull up. Then after a few dives, he fell asleep on his back on the bench.

"Jamie's mad at me, isn't he?"

Skye just came up from a dive, looking very on edge. Her smile faded at the remark. She looked away.

"Huh? Why do you think that?" she responded.

"Harry says it's cause I ask him to teach me and now I'm not going to use what he teaches me to get in," she said. Karen came up to them, and Cat knew it was her turn. She dove down, eyes focused on one spot, and then pulled up just when she thought she was going to loose it. The air cam back into her, and her stomache returned to normal as she flew up to them.

"You should apologize to Jamie," said Karen. Cat nodded.

"Yeah, but it's not really my fault. I mean, it's not like they were going to let me in anyway even if I was as good as…um… who's a famous Quidditch player?"

"Shaq?"

Skye flew up to them.

"Hey, Skye, who's a famous Quidditch player?"

"What? I thought we were talking about you and Jamie?" rekindled Skye.

"Well, Cat was saying it's not like they were going to let her in anyway even if she was as good as… insert famous Quidditch player's name here," explained Karen.

"Dive, Karen," poked Cat. Karen did as she was told.

"But that doesn't matter, Cat. We all have to get in on talent and hardwork, but to you that doesn't matter. You'll get in based on who you know," explained Skye. "It's not fair.

Cat sat there like she had when the girl had hit her after Draco had first kissed her. She was stuck on this one thing that was leading her down roads and roads of things she didn't like. It was like watching herself fall into shadow.

"It's like you're joining the dark side."

Karen came up for air.

"Gasp, Cat, gasp, your turn."

Cat nodded, numbly, then turned around the earth and dove.

But she didn't pull up.

* * *

Hermione buried her head in her pillow. She couldn't believe him. She couldn't believe herself. She couldn't believe what had just happened. It was like they were fourteen all over again, in the Gryffindor Common Room. 

Deep down, Hermione wanted to cry, and she could feel the urge slowly rising to the surface like a broken wooden doll she tried to bury underwater. She could feel herself break apart like drought soil. She couldn't understand it. She couldn't understand her soul.

Why did she love a stupid idiot like him?

Why did she care so much about what he thought, what he said or what he did? How he looked at her? How he smiled at her?

Hermione knew what it meant. It meant she was infatuated. But could an infatuation result in love? Was that possible? And if so, when did it happen? When did she become so absorbed in someone so different from her as Ron?

"Hermione, you okay?"

She felt a hand on her back. The bed sank slightly.

"I'm stark raving mad, if that's okay," she muffled into the pillow.

"Join the club."

She looked up.

"Professor?"


	13. Danger Zone

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading my pathetic fanfiction, Chapters 1-12.

Song: Gwen Stefani - Danger Zone

* * *

Chapter 13. Danger Zone

Harry stirred, someone was tapping him in the chest. He didn't like the feeling. Once he opened his eyes to a handsome face and recognized it as Firenze, he awoke immediately.

"Harry Potter. I hoped not too disturb you but I have urgent news to speak with you, and I can't stay out here long," he told him. Harry blinked and moaned sitting up. He was having a much needed dreamless sleep before Professor Firenze had awoken him.

"Have you been keeping up with your star divination?" asked Firenze. Harry shook his head, a bit embarrassed. Should he have?

"Well, I'm afraid to tell you that you're going to have quite a year this year," he told him. "It looks like the same violent, bloody, angry, and "just as frustrating as last year" year."

"Oh, um, great," Harry said, rather surprised by the exactness.

"No, it's not. I've just come to warn you of three things: a red cross, a noise maker, and a mask," he explained, leaning over to lower his voice.

"A red cross? A noise maker? A mask? What do you mean?" Harry asked, confused although the red cross was clear to him. He remembered it sitting on his nightstand in the dormitory. However, the noisemaker and the mask made no sense. Perhaps the mask may be a death eater in the midst, but he couldn't place the noise maker.

"I can't say anymore. I know it is vague, and so the stars have been as well," but then he confided in Harry in a low, serious whisper. "But you of all people know we are deep in war, and you are hunted. Whether it may be as simple as trinkets and spices, these premonitions could help you survive another year at Hogwarts."

Harry could not breathe. The sinking feeling of every breath may be his last suddenly came back to him like the day that Karen almost died.

BOOOOOOM.

The ground shook. A highpitched scream.

"CAAAT!"

* * *

Professor Gingernox was sitting on the side of her bed looking very sweet with a comforting hand and smile.

"What're you… I mean, I know teachers have special access into dorms, but…" Hermione turned over and sat up, "what're you doing here?"

"I saw what happened outside, and being a Gryffindor teacher, I took the liberty of attending to the matter," she said, very textbook like. Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"Oh, well thank you, Professor, but I'm okay," and with that, she rolled back onto her stomache and flopped her head back into the pillow face first. Although Prof. Gingernox had just explained her reason for being here, she still had know idea why. Usually the faculty just left them alone to sort their own problems out, especially the hormonal.

Hormonal? I must be going mad, mused Hermione.

"Now, Miss Granger," began the red-haired teacher. "I was once a teenage girl myself. I know all the problems with boys and dating, and if you ask me, it's all about sexual tension."

Hermione muffled something but it was hard to understand.

"Miss Granger, I am not your mother. I am your Professor, now sit up straight and pay attention!" Prof. Gingernox said tensely. Hermioe had forgotten. Prof. Gingernox held such an air of motherlyness, it was easy to let go of student respectfulness. Upon remembering, she immediately sat up on the bed and tucking her legs in an Indian style to be polite still wearing a skirt.

"That's better, now, having just witnessed the beating you place upon Ronald Weasley, I'm assuming he's the special boy."

Hermione turned a vivid shade of pink.

"The suspicions have been confirmed."

"Professor, I don't feel this discussion being very appropriate," Hermione declared.

"Well, I feel that the discussion is much needed. Now, forgive me for saying this, but the boy looks very clueless and mildly naïve."

"I forgive you, Professor."

"So attempting to get his attention in looks would be visually effective, but would have no real connection with emotional liking. Do you understand?" she explained.

"You're saying if I tried to look any different to make him like me better it wouldn't get him to like me any more than usual," Hermione reinstated. "I understand, Professor."

…after having done exactly what you said and having it result exactly as you said it would, thought Hermione to herself.

"Good, there's always the attempt to become absorbed into his hobbies. Since Mr. Weasley looks like a rather normal wizard, I'd have to say Quidditch, pratical jokes, and wizard's chess, no?"

Hermione was baffled how correct she was.

"I'm guessing you haven't tried that? Well, good, because if you like none of those things, then there's no point in trying to like them. Then, there always the attempt to inject him with jealousy by involving yourself with another member of the opposite sex in a relationship."

Hermione looked down guilty at the hem of her skirt.

"Yes, you've tried that. Well…"

Professor Gingernox grew silent. Hermione looked up and noticed the peculiar look of deep thought on her face. She had never seen someone look so pretty while biting their tongue and rubbing their chin.

"Have you tried just telling the dear boy?" the teacher finally got down to it.

Hermione turned back to the vivid shade of pink and twisted the cloth of her skirt in her hands with frustration.

"The point is, I shouldn't have to!" exclaimed Hermion, then quickly added, "Professor."

"Well, some boys, like Mr. Weasley, don't understand until you say it to them."

"He's the boy! If he hasn't figure it out now, then by God, he truly has the emotional range of a teaspoon!" shouted Hermione, throwing her hands into the air in the peak of her frustration.

"Calm yourself, Miss Granger! It was only a suggestion," Prof. Gingernox reminded her. Hermione quickly remembered Prof. Gingernox's position and blushed from embarrassment. "Now, how long have you two been friends?"

"Six years," answered Hermione, and she added again, "Professor."

"Wow, well, you better hurry up, Miss Granger! Six years is far too long for this to be going on!"

Hermione sat in anguish and pity. She knew she had put off confessing for far too long, but how could anyone blame her? It was just too difficult! And there was so much to lose.

"I can't. What if he doesn't… you know… like me back? Then how can I ever face him again? How can I stay friends with Harry, too?" Hermione mused over.

"I don't know," Prof. Gingernox confessed. "But there's no point in going on this forever. You can spend all your life saying 'what if,' but in the end, you'll have found yourself going nowhere."

Hermione sat quietly contemplating what she said, then quietly she murmured, "Thank you, Professor."

"For what, dear?"

"For…being here," she murmured, not looking at her. Professor Gingernox smiled, and leaned over taking Hermione into her arms in a good, strong embrace.

"Oh, your very welcome, Hermione," the teacher replied, hugging her. "I know how hard it must be to be in love with someone who hardly notices you're a girl sometimes. But don't worry. Things'll get better. You're a smart, sweet girl, Hermione. Boys can't help but love girls like you."

Hermione could feel her eyes start to burn. Her mother used to hug her like this, and a part of her couldn't help but notice it. After a good long muffled cry into her shoulder, Professor Gingernox pulled away and wished Hermione the best, encouraging her to eat something sweet and read a good book before leaving.

"Thank you, again, Professor."

"Oh your welcome, Hermione. And I know Mr. Weasley can be a bit clueless, but do try to forgive him."

"I might, but I still don't see why. He was the one being stupid."

"Well, then don't do it for him, do it for yourself, my dear. You see, people can't hurt you without your consent. So by forgiving him, your forgive yourself for making the awful mistake of letting him hurt you. Goodbye, Miss Granger."

With those last words, Professor Gingernox left Hermione in a mood she couldn't say was better or worse than before she had arrived. Instead all Hermione could think about was about "the consent."

Why did she give him her "consent?"

"Hermione, you okay?"

Hermione looked up to see a red haired girl in the door way with a worried look on her face. Hermione smiled.

"I'm fine."

"Oh, good. I ran into Professor Gingernox on the way up, and I thought maybe you got into some trouble or something."

"Oh no….no.." said Hermione, whiping away smears of tears on her cheek. Ginny sat where Professor Gingernox once sat.

"What did she come up about?"

"Oh nothing. You know, the usual."

"You two have a usual?"

"What? No. I mean, girl talk. You know, girl talk."

Ginny raised a brow.

"Lemme guess, something about my older brother?"

"What - No!"

"You did, what did she say? Was it about how bad his marks are? Did she convince you to move on? Oh don't tell me, she gave you the sex talk, didn't she?"

Hermione gaped at her, confused.

"Well, she gave my class one! On the first day of school, even!"

* * *

Harry snapped up. There was a cloud of smoke in the shape of a mushroom, and Harry's heart stopped for a second before he dashed toward the scene, Firenze galloping behind him.

Skye landed there, and Karen tried to land there, but she ended up fumbling to the ground.

"CAT! ARE YOU OKAY!" shouted Skye, on her knees and wisping away the smoke of the disaster area with her hands and arms. With her shout, it sounds like an echoe, and this greatly disturbed Harry as he came to Skye's side.

"What happened!" asked Jamie, landing near them along with Lisa.

"Is that a giant hole!" demanded Karen as she landed on her knees on the other side of Skye. True enough, the smoke cleared an it was a giant hole, so dark, you could hardly see the bottom.

"We were practicing dives, and she didn't pull up!" explained Skye, darting her eyes over the black pit.

"Prof. Firenze! You're a centaur. You must see better in the dark; can you see her!" asked Harry, desperately searching for the body with his own eyes.

"I can't see her, but I see the end some feet down, maybe ten or twenty feet."

"Damn her to hell!" cursed Karen, shocking Harry. Skye quickly snapped into action. She took off her jacket, and grabbed a side of the hole about to stick one leg in.

"Where are you two going!" said Lisa.

"We're going in after her!" Skye declared, still having difficulty climbing down the muddy walls.

"Wait, we're going to!" Jamie and Lisa said in unison, just about to drop their brooms.

"No, that won't be needed!" declared Professor Firenze. "Only two or three should go on so as not to take up too much room at the bottom."

"I'll go in. Harry, go get a rope!" exclaimed Karen, tearing off her cut-off sweat shirt revealing a still white shirt, and flipped two legs over the side. Harry grabbed Karen's fallen broom and tore off his robes, wearing only a shirt and jeans.

"That won't be needed. C'mon!" And Harry dove into the darkness. Skye shrugged and let go of the wall, falling in after him. Karen winced.

"Oh geez," and she pinched her nose. "Bye, Brofessor."

And jumped in after them in a Tarzan scream.

Harry landed on his feet in a crouched position, but soon Skye fell, and the both tumbled into an uncomfortable pile.

"Ow…."

And then Karen landed, too, but thankfully she stopped herself from landing ontop of them by splitting her legs on both sides, skidding in the muddy walls to a stop just a foot above them.

"Good job, Karen," appreciated Skye, but just as she said it Karen turned upside and and kocked Harry in the head just as he was getting up.

"OW!"

"Sorry, Harry!"

"HARRY POTTER AND FRIENDS, ARE YOU ALRIGHT DOWN THERE!" called out a Frienze echo from above.

"WE'RE FINE; THANKS, PROFESSOR!" called back Skye.

"FIND MISS CRESCENDO, PLEASE, SO WE CAN TAKE HER TO MADAM POMPFREY!"

"YES, PROFESSOR!"

Karen jumped down, landing thankfully near the wall so as to not land on what may be Cat under mounds of mud. Harry rubbed his temple, blinking his eyes and taking in the surroundings.

The hole was dark, of course, and the muddy walls were cake-er than ontop where most of the moisture was still locked. However something curious caught his eyes. A piece of clotth jutting out of the wall, maybe from trash or something, but bound by curiosity, he crept near it.

"The ground feels so soft. Fresh…" murmured Skye.

"Do you think she's under our feet?" Karen asked.

"Definitely!"

Harry could hear them drop to their knees, and their fingers clawing at the earth, digging up chunks of newly layered soil. Harry ignored them, and tugged at the cloth. It looked like the corner of a pillowcase. It would not come loose.

"Dammit, she's down deep!" Skye groaned.

"Isn't there some kind of magic we can use!" demanded Karen. Skye bit her lip, and she withdrew her wand from the hem of her pants.

"I don't know if you can do this with people, but…. _Accio Cat Crescendo_!"

Nothing happened.

"Thought so, how 'bout… _Accio Cat's broom_!"

There was a loud BANG and the broom shot of the ground just underneath them, revealing the words "happens"

"Booya!"

"DID YOU FIND HER?" called out a voice from far away.

"YES! WE FOUND HER!" called back Skye.

"Oh my God, I don't think I've never been more happy to see Cat's back!"

Harry yanked at the cloth with all ten fingers. Some of the earth fell away, but a lot of the object remained caked like a iceberg where only a tiny part is seen.

"Damn," cursed Harry.

"Harry, what are you doing?" asked Karen. Harry whirled around and looked blankly at Skye and Karen who were digging out the remainder of Cat. Skye was digging away a lot of the dirt from her face, and Karen was extending the arm pushing back the dirt from her back and hip. Harry could've stabbed himself for having forgotten their fallen comrade.

"Help us get out her legs!" exclaimed Karen, and Harry nodded, falling to his knees and shovling dirt away.

After a good ten minutes, they managed to get Cat's full body out and now, as she laid limp in Skye's lap, all that remained was the heart stopping problem of whether she was still alive. Harry looked at her pale face, fragile, dirty, and frail. Skye was gently stroking the mud out of her hair, in a sad, loving way.

"Is she dead?" asked Karen for the hundreth time. Skye's head was pressed again Cat's left breast, her eyes closed. She listened softly.

"I can faintly hear it. I remember Prof. Lupin talking once of a animating spell, but I don't…"

Harry instantly withdrew his wand and pointed it at Cat.

"_Ennervate_!"

Cat's eyes weakly opened, and Karen squealed with happiness, falling all over Skye's shoulders over Cat like she was newborn baby. Harry smiled in relief. That last time he tried that spell, it didn't work.

"Where…where am I?" she asked in a quiet mumble, glancing about.

"You forgot to pull up and dug yourself a grave," explained Skye, smiling from ear to ear and still holding her close.

"Oh…why am I so dirty?"

"You forgot to pull up in wronski feints and dug yourself a grave in the GROUND."

"Oh…why are we in a hole?"

The trio looked at each other. Obviously some memory loss was to be expected from such a high fall, but this seemed more of a strange, forgetfulness.

"Harry, what's that?" asked Karen, pointing to the bit of cloth Harry had managed to uncover. Harry didn't say anything. He just reached over and yanked at it some more.

"It won't come out!" said Harry, grunting as he tried to pull it out with both hands.

Overcome with curiosity as well, Karen grabbed Harry from behind and helped him tug, and soon enough, the bit of cloth became more of a bag, until finally, they had dragged it out of the earth.

They had found themselves a potatoe sack.

"What is it?" asked Skye, pulling herself and Cat farther back. Harry peered over it quite curious and a bit disturbed by the whole thing. Who would bury something this so far down?

"I don't know…" muttered Harry, mostly to himself than to Skye's answer. He reached over, and with a rough time, untied the thick knot. He reached in and withdrew.

A rotting hand.


	14. Feel Good Inc

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading Chapters 1-13, have a nice day.

Song: Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.

* * *

Chapter 14. Feel Good Inc. 

Their hearts stopped for good five seconds before screaming.

Everyone on the grounds could hear it. Firenze, Jamie, and Lisa all got full blast as they were hanging over the hole went it happened. The birds in the forest suddenly all took flight, frightened by it. A secretly, illegal hippogriff accidentally bit the hand that fed it instead of the ferret it so desperately desired. Even the ghosts abruptly jumped at the scream, and the school's phoenix was so startled by it, it burst into flames.

"OH MY GOD, WHAT IS THAT!" shouted Cat, clinging to Skye, and trying to push them further into the wall.

"A zombie hand!" shrieked Karen, skidding back to Cat and Skye.

"It's a part of a body! A human body! Someone buried a body bag under the Quidditch field!" Harry said between deep gasps for air, and skidding away from their discovery. All of the teenagers were piled on one end of the hole, backed against the wall cowering from a rotten hand.

"WHAT HAPPENED!" called from above. None of them answered, all to out of breaht and scared to answer. Harry spotted the broom; he reached over and grabbed it.

"Everyone, grab on!" Harry commanded, tucking the broom under him.

"Can this broom carry us all!" asked Karen.

"You want me to leave you here alone with the body while I fly the rest up and come back!" demanded Harry. Karen glanced at the body, became frightened, and wrapped an arm around his waist.

"Oh hell no, you're not leaving me alone with that thing even for a second!"

Skye passed Cat into his arms who wrapped her arms around his neck in front of him while Skye grabbed a hold of Karen from behind.

"Ready?"

"Just go, go, GO!"

And Harry flew them up out of the hole very easily, very carefully considering Cat was holding him so tightly it was almost like a choke hold, plus it was about as fast as the old broom could carry them up.

As soon as they reached the surface, Harry flew them over the side and they all collapsed onto the ground, sighing with relief, not realizing they had been holding their breath the entire time.

"Something disturbing down there?" guessed Prof. Firenze, stepping over to them.

"Yes…" wheezed Harry, on his back.

"Professor… we're going to need the headmaster."

* * *

Just like the eyeball, the human body found under the Quidditch field became the main topic for the rest of week. Unfortunately, the gossip on their centaur Professor did not let up, and only became a part of another rumor that he sent the four down there to bury the body, and they couldn't go through with the centaur's dastardly plans(to which Harry denied completely and hexed anyone who congratulated him on chickening out). The rumors became just as unbelievable as the truth, however, none of it seemed to bother the girls too much, for Karen, Skye, Cat, and Lisa all could worry about was not making their house teams. 

"No way am I ever going to get on…" murmured Lisa Minne, separating and rearranging the peas on her plate. The younger Ravenclaw was sitting at the Gryffindor table, ignoring the unspoken laws, along with a Hufflepuff, Jamie Jettison, who seemed too busy stealing food off her plate to notice what she said. The Slytherin, Cat Crescendo, did not sit at their table anymore, and chose to sit with her new boyfriend at the table behind them which did not please Harry and Ron anymore than when she had sat at the table with them.

"Well…" began Harry who had no idea what happened to the Gryffindor table that used to sit only Gryffindors, "… Ron's a keeper. I guess he could help you…"

Ron choked on his food. Hermione looked up, and she began to slap him on the back, a little harder than necessary.

Indeed, Ron and Hermione were still on bad terms. Ron didn't talk to her most of the time they spent together, talking mostly to Harry, and whenever he needed to ask Hermione something, he made Harry do it for him.

"Harry, ask Hermione if you put bellock tentacles before or after you put in the cockroaches."

"Um… Ron wants to know if you put bellock tentacles before or after you put in the cockroaches."

"Tell him, he put the bellock tentacles up his arse for all I care."

"Um… Hermione says-"

"I know what she said!"

Harry was back in the place he often found himself in: a translator and peacemaker between two bickering, secretly-attracted-to-eachother friends. Although he dared not make the peace between these two now, for he wasn't there, and wasn't quite sure what happened. Ron told him he was only trying to pay her a compliment when she began beating him with her picnic basket. When he talked to Hermione, she told him Ron had physically trapped her and she had to use self defense to escape. None of the explanations sounded very logical, so Harry decided most gratefully to sit this one out excluding the occasional telephone operator he played between them.

"Harry, tell Hermione, I'm okay now," Ron choked out between thumps on the back.

"Hermione, Ron's okay, now."

"Oh, good," and she stopped. Ron gave her an evil glare, and turned back to Harry who said something about him and Lisa and help.

"I can't teach her; she's part of another house! What if she uses her powers for evil?" asked Ron.

"What if she - what evil? It's only Quidditch!" declared Skye.

"ONLY QUIDDITCH!" demanded Harry and Ron, bewildered.

"Oh, now you dunnit," muttered Hermione before crunching down on the potatoe chip of glory.

"How do you expect to get on the team with the kind of talk!" yelled Ron.

"Mr. Weasley! Quiet down there!" called out Prof. Mc Gonagall abover the Grand Hall's talk. Ron ducked as if he barely missed an arrow, and murmured something of a "yes, ma'am."

"I expect to get on with good skills and a good team effort," Skye shot back, irritably.

"Don't worry, Lisa. I've seen you, and you're a natural at it! I'm sure you'll do very well. Besides, you've got two weekends until your tryouts! You've got two weeks to get even better!" encouraged Jamie, patting her on the back.

Lisa smiled back and continued to eat dinner with a happier mood. Jamie looked at his watched and glanced at Skye giving her a knowing look. Harry noticed it but didn't think any of it, even as Jamie got up.

"Well, I'm going back early to study. See you," and he left.

"He hasn't eaten anything this week, the hole time he's sat at this table," muttered Hermione. "Do you think there's something wrong with him?"

"Oh, Jamie's just like that. I think he's trying to loose weight or something," replied Skye.

"Lose weight? He's already skinny enough as he is!" declared Ron.

"You know what I bet it is? I bet it's his Herbology grade! Yeah, I heard he's having trouble with his Devil's Snare."

"He's raising a Devil's Snare!"

Harry became lost in the conversation. He wondered what was peculiar about dinner on a Wednesday, but it all became clear as recounted the people who he sat with. He knew someone was missing, and it suddenly came to him.

"Where's Karen?"

"Hi, guys!"

They all looked up to a rather odd looking Karen. Her hair had blue streaks, tide up in a messy bun, and her school uniform looked rather the same apart from the rainbow stockings that changed every day.

"What happened to your hair!" Hermione asked, gleefully surprised.

"Cool, huh? It's the after effect of the hex someone gave me while I was in the bathroom vomiting."

"Why were you in the bathroom vomiting?"

"Oh, someone hexed me again. I've been hexed so many times to day, I'm surprised I haven't turned into an elephant."

"But then you'd have to join the Pookie alliance…" murmured Ron.

"The what?" wondered Karen, taking Jamie's spot.

"Who's been hexing you!" demanded Harry, who found himself very angry at this new information.

"Oh, I don't know. I think that guy with weird look on his face…" and just as Karen reached over to grab a piece of catfish, it transfigured into half a canteloupe. Karen's mouth fell open and a mix of extreme pain and grief came over her face. Her hand and her head fell at once, hitting the table with a loud thud. Harry couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"You okay?"

"Stupid vomiting. Ruining my dinner."

"Tell me who the guy is, so I can hex him to oblivion," said Harry, digging in his robes fro his wand. Skye eyed him suspiciously wondering why he was so upset and if he somehow learned the need for vengence from Karen and Cat.  
"Oh, I don't know. It may have been this guy…" motioned Karen to Ron(they exchanged looks of horror). "…or maybe that guy over there…" she motioned to a boy over at the Hufflepuff table as Zacharias Smith(Harry and Ron nodded in agreement). "…or I don't know, the guy behind me even…" jabbing a thumb back at Malfoy.

Harry was all too prepared to zap him, before Karen mumbled at last, "I really have no clue… my back was turned the whole time I got hexed."

"Oh…well, lemme hex him anyway-"

"You know what would make me happy?" asked Karen, just lifting her fore head from the plate and resting it on her hand, gazing lazily at the desserts that sat before her.

"Oh, what?" asked Harry, who wasn't really wondering what would make her happy, but she seemed so depressed having skipped the main meal, he wouldn't mind knowing.

Karen didn't answer right away. She picked up a spoonful of chocolate pudding and slapped it on the plate.

"If you kissed me."

* * *

Cat listened intently to the story Draco was telling about a muggle borne family that, in the Daily Prophet, had been executed by death eaters not too long ago. No, that was a lie; Cat wasn't listening to a word of it. She was too busy thinking about the dead body and how it got there. 

"Draco…" she began, interrupting his laughter.

"Hmn?" he wondered.

"Why do you think someone buried a body under the Quidditch field?" asked Cat. Draco blinked at her and smiled nervously.

"To get rid of it, of course," he explained.

"Yes, but why would they want to get rid of it?"

Draco was embarrassed by the question. These thoughts were rather pointless.

"'Cause they were afraid they would get sent to Azkaban if 'caught with it!"

"Yes, but why were they afraid of getting caught? Because they themselves had killed the person? What? And who would do that? The body looked to have been buried there a long time ago. And the only person who could have access to the grounds at all times are the staff members!"

"It could've been buried there before. How long would you say it has been buried there."

"I already said a long time ago."

"No, I mean, an estimate. What estimate?"

"Mmm, I'd say about forty - fifty years ago."

"Merlin, that is a long time ago…" muttered Draco, taking a swig of pumpkin juice. "Why are you even bringing it up, anyway?"

"I don't know; I was just thinking about it," she mentioned. "All I can think about is the dead, rotting, wormy hand…"

"Please, dear, I'm eating…" grimaced Draco.

"Sorry…" Cat smiled to herself in evil delight.

"No, it's fine. So this weekend, you want me to introduce you to the team?" asked Draco, just as the main course disappeared and was replaced by desert.

"Oh, about that. You know, maybe Quidditch really isn't my thing…" Cat began, reaching for a ton of little cookie and setting them on her plate. Draco stopped what he was doing and looked at her surprised.

"What? What brought this on?" asked Draco, swirling his vanilla and chocolate pudding.

"Nothing, it's just, you know," laughed Cat nervously, "all that hard work each practice? I don't know if I can take it! I mean, I was never one for sports to begin with. I'm more of an artsy type -"

"Those mongrels, got to you, didn't they!" Draco jumped to conclusions.

"What? No, no, no, no, no noooo….." and then she looked at his hard glare, and muttered a "yes."

"I knew they would! Well, don't listen to them, they just don't understand," said Draco.

"Understand what? I think they knew the meaning of bribery and cheating," muttered Cat, biting into a cookie.  
"Who cares what it is, as long as gets you what you want," Draco muttered back. Both of them refused to look at the other, like they were building a wall between them.

"What, like the ends justify the means sort of thing?" asked Cat. "I always thought that was sort of crazy."

"If you'll do anything to get what you want? Yeah, it might just sound crazy," replied Draco, "but my father calls it determination."

Cat turned to look at him with a skeptical expression.

"Determination."

Draco smirked at her.

"Ambition."

Cat stared at him.

"Who is your father?"

* * *

Lucky, not that many people heard her, maybe Ron or Hermione, or Lisa, or Skye. 

Harry felt his face grow warm; his heart began running faster like on a tredmill in his chest. However, he didn't move. He didn't say anything; he was only just trying to calm himself in his head.

It's just a joke. Just a joke. She does that. Remember on the train? he asked himself. His blush was just beginning to fade, when he looked at her, into her eyes, and realized that she was not kidding. A cold and hot rush came over him again, and a feeling of butterflies mutating into fairies were fluttering about in his stomache and attempting to go up his esophagus.

Oh God, she's not kidding. But it's okay, I can just tell her no, he told himself. But as soon as he looked at her again, he realized he couldn't say no. The more he looked at her he couldn't help but feel an emptiness take over his brain. Suddenly, it really didn't matter. It was just a kiss, right? It was not like the fate of the world, or like they were going to be married. And wasn't it his duty? As a good friend, to try and make her happy?

Now that really does make me sound daft, he concluded in his brain. Nonetheless it didn't really matter. He would do it, if it weren't for everyone staring at him, he would do it. Mainly, 'cause he felt like it. He needed a good kiss after receiving another detention that day and the still overwhelming Damocles sword above his head.

Harry leaned over and she leaned over and they quickly, gained the attention of the group friends around them, and quietly and tenderly, he kissed her on the lips, very chaste and very slowly like two children who kissed in a pretend wedding.

There was a great shriek, about three other squeals when it was over. They both pulled away after a second, simultaneously, and Karen murmured a "thank you" and went to eating her pudding before it could disappear as well. Harry smiled to himself, quickly muttering a "your welcome" before going back to eating his desert as well.

Everything else became a fading blur of a teacher taking points away for kissing at the dinner table(more than likely Snape), and some girls urging Harry to kiss them too(which he completely ignored), and Ron and Hermione pestering him with questions and Skye who was just nudging Karen and who Karen nudge back until it was an elbow war between them. Nope, Harry did not think anything of anything and continued to sit delightfully enjoying dessert and even as they headed back to the Gryffindor Tower, he was still in a drunken mood of everything around him moving in a blur and he and Karen were the only two people in a vivid stand still, like their secret kiss that still seemed secret and childlike even though they were both 16 and did it in front of tens and hundreds of people in the Grand Hall.

* * *

Karen got into bed feeling pretty good with herself. She could not help it. Her hair looked nice, despite the cause of it, and luckily, she had turned back into a human before she left the bathroom so she didn't have to kiss Harry as a green hamster. Yes, in fact, she had endured many hexes that day, but none of it really mattered anymore. All that mattered was her nice soft bed and a good sleep before her potions test tomorrow. 

"I didn't know you liked Harry, Karen," brought up Hermione, as Karen came in drying her hair.

"Oh, I don't… well, I do, but not in a really romantic sense," she explained. Hermione, who was sitting bed reading, dropped her book in her lap.

"But you just kissed him only thirty minutes ago at dinner! Right at the table!" exclaimed Hermione. Karen began making her bed.

"So? It was just a kiss," said Karen.

"Well, does Harry know that? I hope you're not leading him on," remarked Hermione, going back to reading. Karen was just tucking in the end of her sheets, and laying down the comforter.

"Oh, he knows. We talked about that night in the Forbidden Forest. You know, about being attracted to people, and it only being a physical thing," furthered Karen, smoothing out the rough parts.

"Oh yes. You know, you never really explained what happened," replied Hermione, turning a page in her novel. Karen climbed into bed and gave a heavenly sigh.

"Oh yes, I did. We were flooded out, skimmed across the lake, and winded up in the Forbidden Forest. End of story," murmured Karen, pulling the covers up to the round of her shoulders. Hermione looked at her, raising a brow. This broke Karen's sleepy kitten look with an unnerving spark.

"What?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and set down her book like before.

"You and I both know that something went on that NIGHT you spent in the forest together. What did you do?"

"We didn't do crap. Okay, so we were two half naked, hormonal teenagers, alone, by a fire, in the middle of the forest at night, but trust me. Harry and me aren't like that. We didn't do crap," rambled Karen, then she turned over, muttering under her breath, "Geez, you're just as crazy as Skye. Don't need no stinking birth control patch…"

"KAREN!"

SLAM!

There stood Skye in the door way looking mildy furious, and most importantly, giddy with some sort of sadistic joy in her pajamas.

"Oh my God, the party never ends…" muttered Karen pulling the covers over her head. Skye ran over and jumped onto the bed, getting ontop of her.

"Ach, gott, shiezenhowzen!"

"What was that at dinner? YOU KISSED HARRY!" squealed Skye, poking her form under the blanket in random places.

"Why won't the party stop? Someone stop the party. Take away the chips and dip and kick the bastards out of the house…" muffled Karen under the blanket.

"Huh?" wondered Skye. Hermione rolled her eyes once more and went back to reading.

"You know, you were upset with me and Harry before, and now you're all sunshine and daises about it," muffled Karen. Skye didn't really understand what she said, but just pretended it was nothing of real significance.

"Oh, well, right, anyway! I saw Harry down stairs just after dinner(you were in the bathroom)! He's so dazed, he looks like he's been hit by a two-by-four! All these girls keep pestering him about give-away kisses, and all the boys are asking him a bunch crap(I really didn't keep track of it), and most importantly, I think he's really in love with you and not just using you for sex!"

Karen exploded out of the covers, messing them up and knocking Skye back, suddenly standing in a old, soft t-shirt and flannel, plaid pajama pants.

"MUFFINS OF WAR!" shrieked Karen, hands curled into fists and bearing a strange resemblance to Ron beyond bad mood. Karen jumped from the bed and went running down the stairs to the common room.

"Where's she going? She can't possibly be going to the Boy's Dormitory?" said Hermione looking at Skye who was looking at her. Instantly, they both leaped out of bed and dashed after her.

* * *

"Did you see what happened at Dinner tonight?" 

Cat tried to ignore the gossip as she brushed her teeth over the sink. The girls next to her were busy applying facial cleanser to their faces while they chatted.

"Someone kissed that Harry Potter, didn't they?"

"Ew, yes, and I was eating. It was most disgusting."

"How much do you think they paid her? I bet someone put her up to it. Gryffindors are always doing stupid things to each other. Remember the Weasley twins…"

"I think it was that jumpy girl, Kathryn? Karen?"

Cat stopped immediately.

"Yeah… BOOM!" The girls said in chorus, and began giggling uncontrollably.

Cat, for some reason - full of fury, turned around and spat all her toothpaste spit into their faces. She then stormed out of the bathroom before they could stop their grimacing and shrieking to hex her.

"Where are you going, Crescendo?" asked Pansy Parkinson as Cat shoved past her on the way down the Girls Dormitory steps.

"NONE OF YOUR FUCKIN' BUSINESS!"

And before Pansy Parkinson could fumble for her wand, Cat whirled around with a spell.

"Stupefy!"

Cat ran down and out of Slytherin, almost gleefully, leaving a very knocked out Pansy behind.


	15. Skeleton Liar

Author's Note: 

I had a great time writing this chapter. I had to hold my nose to keep from laughing and cover one of my eyes to keep from envisioning a naked Harry Potter and etc. Have fun.

Song: The Pillows - Skeleton Liar

* * *

Chapter 15. Skeleton Liar

Harry could not wipe the smile off his face no matter how many boys told him to. He could not help it. It had been long time since he had kissed anyone, it made him feel good inside like there was a mini sun and a mini blue sky, and a mini green meadow inside him and somewhere in that meadow was a little tiny butterfly fluttering about happily. All of the huge, overbearing problems of his seemed to be startlingly fixable as he washed his hair in the shower.

"Harry, what the bloody hell was that all about?" shouted Ron over the noise of water from the showerhead. Ron was in the shower next to him, trying to comunicate them through 5 inches of stone or plaster and over the sound of thousands of drops of water hitting the floor.

"What?" called out Harry, who was too busy combing through his unruly hair with fingers to really think about anything.

"Don't play coy, Harry. You kissed Karen right at the Dinner table!" exclaimed Ron over the noise. Harry smiled to himself rinsing the shampoo out of his hair.

"Yeah, so? I'm not allowed to kiss girls?" Harry inquired back. He turned off the shower head, and shook his head violently like a dog would shake water out of his fur. Sirius would have been proud.

"No, it's just that, you know, it was rather sudden!" exclaimed Ron, still showering. Harry took a towel down from a handle bar and wrapped it around his waist, making himself decent.

"Ron, it's not like I eloped. We just kissed, that's all!" declared Harry as he walked back into their dorm room. Dean Thomas was sleeping peacefully, and Neville was reading a book on Herbology. Seamus was not to be seen, probably down stairs talking to Lavender, coercing her into a date.

"Didn't seem like that to me!" shouted Ron from the bathroom. There was a sound of metal against metal, and the rush of water stopped. Harry found a clean pair of underwear and put it on under the towel. "I mean, you did spend a night out in the woods with the girl not too long ago!"

"We didn't do anything!" shouted Harry, back to the bathroom still smiling after all this time as he then put on a pair of pajama pants of his he found fallen on the ground from rushing to dress that morning.

"Oh yeah? You spend all night, out in the woods, with a half naked girl and a roasting fire and say nothing happened? That's impossible, mate!" called back Ron from the bathroom.

"He has a point. With a roasting campfire, kind of hard to believe," Neville commented nervously. Harry raised a brow at him and Neville blushed from embarrassment and turned back to his book.

"What was that?" called out Ron.

BAMN!

"HARRY!"

Harry whirled around and there Karen was standing in all her bra-less-worn-out t-shirt-and-pajama-pants glory, her hair still wet and her face filled with anger.

"What was THAT!" shouted Ron.

And it felt like the butterfly in Harry's stomache was suddenly eaten and machined by rampaging Tyrannosaurus Rex. What was Karen doing here? And why did she look so angry? Had he done something wrong? Did he kiss her the wrong way? Oh no… was she pregnant?

Harry suddenly felt the need to sit down.

Karen spotted him, and her angry look vanished into a look of blushing embarrassment, but before she could say anything, even as he mouth fell open, two girls were not far behind her and ran into her.

"Karen! OMF"  
"ACH!"

Hermione and Skye toppled over her, and the girls landed in a heap in front of the door. Ron took that moment to come out of the bathroom wearing only a towel…

Thankfully, not on his head.

All of the girls simultaneously looked up and Hermione let out a strange whimper in the form of "eep."

Ron blushed from his ear to his face and took a step back, feeling suddenly naked even though he was very decent.

The girls failed to notice the ability to move, but Hermione did as she quickly scrambled onto her feet, knocking Skye off and stumbling over Karen.

"Um…Hi…" said Hermione, staring definitely not at Ron's face. She lost train of thought, and Ron had to supply the next fragment.

"…Ron?"

"Right, Ron. Um…" She started staring at the floor, and Karen found the nerve to jump onto her feet. There was an awkward silence in the room as both teenagers continued not too look at each other, Harry felt the need to break the silence.

"What are you doing here?" asked Harry to the visitors. Karen blinked at him, and she became furious again, pushing past Skye and walking toward him.

"Well, Mr. Potter, I have just been informed by a very dependable source you are in fact in luuuuhluuh…"

Karen was trying to form the word as she became distracted by Harry topless state. Harry glanced at her to his chest and cleared his throat, waking her up.

"YES! You're in love with me and not actually using me for sex!" exclaimed Karen, jabbing Harry in the bare chest. "And I now just realized how very ripped you are!"

"Ripped?" echoed Harry.

"Muscled," supplied Skye. "Firm abs, strong muscles, that kind of thing…"

"Oh…" muttered Harry, realizing just how close Karen was.

Another awkward silence passed between them as Karen was currently confronting Harry and Hermione and Ron were facing each other not too far away, staring at the ground. Skye stood there admist the sexual tensions feeling not very tense at all, just very out of place.

"Um…"

"How did you guys get up here?" asked Harry, waking Karen up again.

"Stairs," Hermione and Karen said in chorus. Ron and Harry gaped at each other.

"How come the boys steps don't turn into a slide when the girls come up them?" exclaimed Harry.

"Once again, they felt they couldn't trust boys as much as girls with certain things," recalled Hermione, still staring at the floor, refusing to look at Ron in all his naked, toweled glory.

"Huh," thought Harry.

Another awkward silence.

"Um…" began Harry feeling rather uncomfortable with Karen frozen stated of accusation. Karen became animate again, and rubbed her eyes, placing her other hand on her hip.

"Right, right, right… where was I? Oh yes, Please tell me you're not falling for me?" demanded Karen, purposefully not opening her eyes.

"I'm not falling for you," recited Harry.

"Oh, good. So the kiss back there…"

"Was just because I felt like it and you needed one."

"Oh, you're so sweet to me, Harry. Just for that you deserve a cookie," Karen cheered, embracing a topless Harry, and Harry hugged her back, chuckling. She pulled away and held onto his hands. "Well, it was nice seeing you tonight, again, at… eleven…"

Harry helped her. "Ten forty-five."

"Ten forty-five. Sorry, not good with clocks. Right. We'll be going now."

Karen turned and took Skye by the arm who was muttering something about "manflesh" and went down the stairs.

Hermione and Ron continued to star at the ground apart from each other, in the same awkward silence as if nothing had happened.

"Hermione!" called out Karen.

"Right!" and Hermione dashed down the stairs.

Another weird silence like a storm had just passed, and Neville chose that moment to put in his few good words.

"Ron, put some pants on."

* * *

BAMN!

"KAREN!"

Cat was standing in the Gryffindor Common room, interrupting a very intimate moment between Lavender Brown and Seamus Finnegan.

Silence.

"Right," and Cat went bounding up the girl's Dormitory steps.

* * *

BAMN!

"KAREN!"

Cat was standing in the 6th girl's Dormitory doorway again, this time awakening Pavrati from braiding her own hair and no one else. Cat glanced about, suspiciously as if maybe she was hiding.

"Where's Karen?"

Pavrati giggled. "I think they went to the Boys Dormitory." Then Pavrati noticed something and frowned. "Wait, what's a Slytherin doing here?"

"Uh….THANKS!"

Cat dashed out of sight.

And just as Cat began climbing the Boys Dormitory steps, she ran into Karen.

"KAREN!"

Cat lunged at her and began shaking her like a maracca.

"WHAT THE HELL! YOU KISSING HARRY AT DINNER?"

"I-I-I-I w-w-aa-s n-n-o-t f-eee-l-iii-ng t-ooo g-g-g-ooo-d," studdered Karen.

"HA! If you wanted a good snog you could of asked any of us instead of risking mono!" shouted Cat, still shaking her.

"Okay, Cat that's enough," signaled Skye by forming a "T" with her hands. Cat stopped and gave Karen as breather as she fell back against Hermione who was staring at Cat rather surprised.

"What're you doing here? Slytherins aren't allowed in Gryffindor Tower!" exclaimed Hermione. Skye and Cat stared at her like deer caught in headlights.

"Um…" began both of them. Skye blinked and turned to Cat with a fake nasty look, putting her hands on her hips and pretending to looks very superman-ish.

"Right! Get out of here, Cat! You're not allowed here!"

"Augh! Skin burning! It hurts to be in here! Runaway runawaaaaay….!" said Cat, pretending to be under some Holy place began, and she went cowering back to the portrait hole and left with a final, "You guys suck."

"You know something! You brought her here, didn't you!" accused Hermione to Skye, tossing Karen on the floor with a THUNK.

"Ow…"

"Wha? Did not!" Skye lied through her teeth.

"Really?" scoffed Hermione, folding her arms over chest. Skye glanced at her and then at Karen.

"Muffins."

"Right."

And Karen hit Hermione over the head with a candle stick on a nearby desk and she went out like a light bulb, collapsing to the floor.

"Whoo! Ten points!" cheered Karen, raising her fists into the air.

"Right, help me carry her back to the Girl's Dorm."

"Excuse me…?"

In mid picking up Hermione, the girls turned to see Seamus and Lavender on the couch still in the Gryffindor Common room and having seen the whole thing.

"Um…." Skye was at a loss for words.

"If you know what's good for you, you won't mention this ever again," threatened Karen shaking her fist.

"What?"

Skye sighed. "Alright, how much?"

"Your butterfly clip."

"Ten galleons."

"Deal," agreed Skye, walking up to them shaking hands with both, then she ran upstairs and fetched a small cloth bag and the desired hair accessory. She handed it to them, and they smile most successfully and went into their separate dorms.  
Karen looked at Skye with a most peculiar look.

"This is a weird school."

* * *

Karen woke up this morning not feeling too well. She had a disturbing dream last night involving a half naked Harry Potter and plate of muffins. She was back home in Massachusetts, and there was Harry Potter sitting on her bed eating a plate of muffins while only wearing pajama pants and his glasses. He offered her one, and when she said no, suddenly she was in court and Harry Potter was accusing her of not eating his muffins and McGonagall sentenced her to death by Snape to which Harry helped McGonagall throw Karen down a pit of ravenous Muffin-like Snapes. It was very strange dream.

Plus, to make the moring less enjoyable the blue streaks were gone and replaced by a very ugly looking boil on her hip.

"Ew…" grimaced Karen in the mirror, looking at the thing on her hip. Skye walked by, noticied and dashed back to her nightstand.

"Do you have some kind of ointment?" asked Karen, but Skye came running back with a ballpoint pen. She pulled up Karen's shirt and lightly drew a smiley face, then an arrow on the skin pointing to it with one single word, "Pistachio."

"HahaHA!" Skye declared in success.

Karen looked over in the mirror, squinted her eyes and read aloud in a rather startled, thoroughly disturbed look, "PISTACHIO?"

"That's his name. You gotta give these things a name. They won't leave like, for a very long time," said Skye. Karen slowly turned to her, her mouth still hanging open, then she snapped.

"You are so DEAD!"

And Karen chase Skye around the girl's dormitory until Skye locked herself in the bathroom stall, and Karen had to reak revenge on her toes until Skye got ontop of the toilet, and Karen couldn't reach her.

"Ugh! Come out and fight like a man! Haven't you got any balls!"

"You don't know that!"

"Do, too! I've seen you pee sitting down!"

"So! I've seen your flowery panties!'

"I've seen your…cavities!"

"I don't have cavities! But you have eight!"

"I do not!"

"Fine! NINE"

"WHAT? Do not!"

"Maybe, but now you've got a boil named Pistachio. By the way, how's he doing?"

* * *

Harry woke up that morning not feeling too good with himself. For one thing, he had another dream involving a half-naked Karen and muffins. Well, it wasn't just Karen. It was Hermione, too, and Skye, and Cat, and Lisa, and they were all half naked, sitting in the Burrow kitchen eating muffins. Then there was Ron in his towel eating a muffin, too, and so was Jamie. Everyone was eating muffins except him, and when he asked Karen for a muffin, she gave him a muffin that had teeth and tried to eat him. That's when Harry woke up.

Why was he dreaming about muffins?

"Muffins," mumbled Harry.

"Excuse me?"

Harry glanced up to see Ron scratching his messy bed head.

"Nothing," said Harry, to embarrassed to talk to Ron about his disturbing dream.

"I think he said 'muffins,'" said a half-naked Karen, sitting up in bed next to him.

Silence.

Harry was so startled by her appearance, he fell out of bed, and literally woke up.

Pain, a great deal of pain in the side of his head and hip. He opened his eyes, made out some blurry vision, then squeezed his eyes shut, and for about three whole seconds was blind. Then like a movie on the big screen, his vision faded back to him and he could make out what looked to be boys underwear, hardwood floors, and dust bunnies.

Obviously, he had a double dream.

Harry groaned, and he fumbled to reach the side of the bed with his hand, and pulled himself up, but slipped in the tangled sheets and fell down on his bum. He could distinctly hear Seamus laughing in the background.

"Oh, shut up, Finnegan..." grumbled Harry as he attempted to get up the second time. He barely walked two steps when he tripped again and fell hard on his back. Now both Seamus and Dean were laughing.

Harry groaned and then he felt a distinct pain in his scar for some reason. This woke him up like nothing before. He felt it and it singed his finger tips. He wondered what he was thinking about to have his scar feeling like that. He wondered if he was ruining someone's life right that minute, whose family he was taking that moment.

"Harry?" Harry could make out a red head looking down at him, and Harry flinched. The pain was gone in two seconds.

"Nothing."

* * *

When Harry finally got dressed and made his way down the Common room he noticed peculiar activity from Hermione and Ron that very instant they became in six feet radius of each other. They barely said hello to each other and refused to look at the other. The same kind of state they were last night, treating the other as if they were soon as to die if they even looked at them for a second. The three of them made their way down to the great hall, Harry no longer a telephone operator between two bickering love interests, but now given the new assignment of being their wooden netted wall between them like in a Catholic confessional.

Somehow the same thing happened to Harry and Karen as both of them avoided looking the other in the eye for the next two days. Each kept envisioning the other half naked and feared, if they looked at the other for even more than a second, could not stop staring and frighten the other away. Their abstinence did not help their dreams; however, for they continued to dream about the other in the same indecent state doing remarkably weird things like flying brooms with talking kitchen appliances and running away from vampiric moles down school hallways. So they continued slipping hellos and goodbyes breakfast, lunch, and dinner until it was quite clear they would never see each other again 'til Christmas where they might actually be over it.

"Hi, Harry," greeted Karen Friday morning, dreadfully as she took a seat in front of him. She avoided looking him in the eye for all the same reasons he avoided looking her in the eye. Breakfast usually began in this dismal way ever since everyone stopped looking at eachother. Skye became fed up with this attitude and confronted the matter at last.

"What is wrong with everyone lately?" demanded Skye as she smacked her toast with jam onto her plate

"Bad dreams," responded Harry and Karen at once. They instantly looked at each other, regretted it, and went back to eating their breakfast.

"Alright, now what about you two? There's more sexual tension at the table than there was that night we broke into the boys dorm, and that's really saying something," Skye probed them. They each gave incoherent replies in mumbles and mutterings.

"Holy shit. You guys had a romp in the sack, didn't you?"

There was slam of silverware against the table, and both of them erupted with embarrassment and anger at once.

"WE BLOODY DID NOT!"

"Hey, you cursed!" squealed Karen, pointing at Hermione. She clasped a hand over her mouth, and Ron and Harry stared at her shocked and surprised. She then slowly pulled her hands away and composed herself.

"You're imagining things."

"Did not, you cursed."

"I bloody did not."

Ron banged the table with his triumphant fist and grinned at her, forgetting that he was not supposed to look at her.

"There you go, you did it again!"

Hermione blushed a bright red. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Oh yes, you do! You cursed, you hypocrite!"

Hermione turned even more red with either embarrassment or angry frustration, but this did not stop her. She stood up, reach across the table, kissed a bewildered Karen full on the lips in an almost too innocent way, then sat back down.

No one knew what made her do it.


	16. Wonder Wall

Author's Note: 

Thank you for reading Chapters 1-15.

This Chapter is a tribute to those who died at the Towers four years ago. Tears were breaking out of my eyes writing this.

Forgive me, but I do not know the name of the name, nor do I really know the true name of the song(I just made an educated guess). Thank you, once again.

Song? - Wonder Wall

* * *

Chapter 16. Wonder Wall 

Karen was still sitting there in a state as if nothing had happened, but the kind where you stop moving. Thankfully, not that many people had seen it, but unfortunately, Snape had and took another twenty points from Gryffindor for kissing at the Breakfast table. Karen wondered if maybe she should go ahead and ask for another twenty points since more than likely by lunch she'd probably kiss Ron, too, just to make it predictable and cliché.

Harry could not explain the feeling he got watching Hermione kiss Karen. It was as if something inside him was twisting and twisting and squeezing out the last bit of anything and everything he thought was his and his alone and was now being plastered everywhere like some strange exotic crime in society. He imagined Ron felt the same way.

"Wow," said Skye. "That was weird."

They were on the way walking to Herbology, Harry, Karen, Hermione, Skye, and Ron, but not in some big gang kind of circle. No. Hermione was walking ahead, Ron was walking beside him, and Karen and Skye were chatting behind them. From Harry could overhear it appeared they were talking about blue boys with fur and men who wore top hats and set wax dolls ablaze. Harry dared not interrupt their conversation. It was scary.

The silence between him and Ron was beginning to annoy Harry like a little kid who would not stop poking him in the ribs. He felt a little helpless in how to cheer his mate up for he wasn't quite sure if his mate was the one who needed consolance or he was. It wasn't as if he had feelings for Karen 'cept that maybe, yes, he did feel rather responsible for her for some reason.

Harry glanced back at Karen who noticed his odd look, and Harry turned back around.

After all, he was the first wizard she had met, and she clung to him in a way he didn't mind sometimes. He got used to her and her craziness.

"Wait, wait, Harry," said Karen grabbing him by the arm before they went down the hill to the Herbology greenhouses. For the fourth time in two days, Harry looked at her and noticed the blue streaks were gone. Karen dropped her bag, turned Harry around, and jumped on top of his back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"What are you doing?"

"Take me down the hill."

"What?"

"I ran into Prof. Trelawney not too long ago and let slip the nature of my bad dreams. Well, SHE said I should avoid hills for the next three days while Prof. Firenze said when I told him that I was stark raving lunatic and it was odd that I should be friends with such a psychic, 'well intuned with the universe' girl as Skye-baby -"

"Good…er… man, Prof. Firenze," interjected Skye, picking up Skye's book bag.

"Oh shut up, teacher's pet."

"Are you sure?" asked Harry, not liking the idea at all.

"Take me down the hill."

"How 'bout this, I throw you down the hill-" Harry was pulling out his wand and he felt Karen's grip tighten.

"No, don't!"

Harry started laughing and Karen laughed too. It was good to have her back.

They were walking down the path down the hill toward the greenhouses, when Karen felt the need to break the uncomfortable silence she felt between him and Ron.

"Sorry I saw you half naked…" mumbled Karen politely to both of them.

"Don't mention it," mumbled Ron, running a hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry?" asked Harry, smiling to himself.

"You heard me," sneered Karen, leaning her head on his left shoulder.

"Well, I guess I'm sorry, too…for being half naked," replied Harry. He felt his face go red.

"…Oh. You're forgiven. Hey, do you know what day it is?"

"September the 11th."

Harry felt her squeeze tighten on his robes. He felt her gulp.

"Put me down," she said, very clearly.

"What?"

"Now! Put me down!"

Karen kicked him and Harry yelped, dropping her and she fell on her back.

"What is wrong with you?" he asked, rubbing his thigh where she kicked him.

"Nothing, just… go away," grumbled Karen as she got up and grabbed Skye by the arm, hauling them away from Harry and Ron.

* * *

For the rest of the day, Karen, Skye, Lisa, Jamie, and Cat were quiet, morose, and rather glum looking. Harry wondered if their cat died on September 11th, a year ago, and that is why they were so sad looking. By the end of the day, Harry was so befuddled with their mood after feeling that things were finally going back to normal, but instead, worsened, he decided to go to Hermione for help. He told her of his last conversation with Karen, and at once, Hermione found the reason for the Americans' unhappy behavior. 

"About four years ago on September 11th, Harry, there was a terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in America. It was absolutely devastating. Hundreds of people died," explained Hermione, looking over to where Karen and Skye were sitting in the common room. "I imagine this must be a black day for them, a day of remembrance…"

Voices faded in Harry's head as he stared down at his paper. How come he did not know this? And when in fact, Harry began to think about it, he had heard of it when he was around 12 or 13. It was on the news, and Dursley's had watched it for an hour or so before changing the channel. He remembered thinking how awful it was, but it was just a single thought, and then went away. Now, Harry felt a little guilty, and somehow, a part of him wanted to be a part of this sad day for Karen and the rest of the American children that stayed at Hogwarts.

An hour and a half before supper, Karen came down from the girls Dorimtory dressed in a black longsleeve sweat jacket and jeans with a white shirt underneath. Her hair was let down and her eyes looked red as if she had been crying. When Harry saw her, he stood up as if it were an almost chivalrous occasion.

"Where are you going?" he asked, in an unsure manner. Karen stood at the front steps, and soon Skye came down after her, dressed in black pants, fleece jacket and black shirt. She also looked quite disheveled.

"I'm going to see Professor Dumbledore," said Karen. "Why do you ask?"

Harry gulped inaudibly, feeling uncomfortable as they stared at him.

"I want to go with you," he explained, now looking at the floor in front of them. "I just found out about today, and I imagine what it must mean to you…"

"You can come, if you really want to," said Skye, then she moved ahead of Karen, and Karen fell in behind her, walking toward the portrait hole. Ron looked at him, shrugged(Harry returned it), and Harry followed them.

Together, they walked down the halls, turning a few heads as Skye and Karen were suspiciously dawned in their muggle clothes. Soon enough, they were at the gargoyle, and there was Lisa, Cat, and Jamie, waiting silently and patiently in their old muggle-ish clothes as well. Lisa was in her comfortable pants and sweater, Cat in her skirt and jacket, and Jamie in his jeans and Hogwarts robe(the only one who did not fully return to the muggle idea).

Karen limply smiled at them, and Lisa nodded, returning the weak smile. Skye went forward and muttered something, and the gargoyle jumped aside, startling Karen, cracking a smile on everyone's face. All six of them then traveled up the spiraling steps and entered a room no one but Harry had ever entered before.

"Nice to see you girls again," greeted a rotting voice. Cat, Lisa, and Karen's face perked up as they glanced up to the tattered hat sitting on a high shelf.

"Nice to see you, to, Mr. Sorting Hat," greeted Cat, most politely. Both Lisa and Karen slightly bowed in respect.

"Smart girls, out of place, but genuinely smart," muttered the hat, then went back to its inanimate state. Cat turned to Lisa, and she shrugged as they all began traveling back to the corridor, walking officially into Dumbledore's office where the walls were lined with portraits of past headmasters. In a corner of the desk, sat a baby Fawkes nipping at a piece of fruit delightfully, unaware of the low mood of the entering teenagers. Dumbledore was seated at his desk and seemed to be writing something, but it must not have been of urgent importance because as soon as he saw his guests, he smiled and stood up to greet them.

"There, there… Professor McGonagall has informed me of your coming," professed Dumbledore. Then he spotted Harry, and his eyes twinkled. "Ah, Harry. Good of you to join us." Then he turned to the rest of them who were all looking in different directions at the scenery, and he cleared his throat. "Well, shall we get going?"

With that said he picked up a rather interesting photo of him in a Hawaiian t-shirt with Hagrid(Harry could tell for the picture had cut off Hagrid's head), and he walked around his desk. He gestured for them to come closer.

"Now, this is a portkey, the only one in Hogwarts. Harry, Jamie, you can leave your robes here. Now please, grab hold…" and the kids awkwardly took hold of a piece of his clothing or the frame, or each other. Harry was clueless, nonetheless, he grabbed a hold of Jamie's sleeve. There was a moment or two of complete silence minus the cooing of the tiny chick nipping at it's half eaten peach, then Harry felt the familiar pull at his navel. He opened his eyes and let go, glancing around.

They were in a dark alley. Trash all along the sides of the brick walls, and along the walls were windows with black iron balconeys and escape routes. There were candles in the windows, and in one, Harry could see a woman feeing her baby. There was a dumpster at one end of the alley and a sidewalk and street at the other.

"Where are we?" asked Harry, very confused.

"New York City, kid," said an unrecognizable voice. Harry spotted the hobo sitting not to far away in a large cardboard box. "Hello, Professor."

"Hello, Mr. Gregory. Will you be kind enough to wait here until we return?" asked Prof. Dumbledore, suddenly dressed in muggle clothes: a purple vested suit and top hat.

"'Course, sir," said the old man, who went back to playing solatire with old, worn out cards.

"Thank you, now, let's get going," said Professor Dumbledore waving his can, and he led the children out of the dark alley into the shadowing, grey light of the streets.

"Everyone, stay with me," said the Professor. "Especially you, Harry. I would very much like it, if we go undiscovered."

Harry nodded, rather confused where they were going or what they doing here in New York City.

The streets were crowded, more than Daigon Alley, and at times, Harry had to strain to keep Dumbledore's top hat in sight. He traveled with Karen, all the way, but she never said a word to him. Her grave manner was beginning to disturb him more the ever, and he sometimes pondered whether she would ever be happy again.

Ten minutes passed, and he saw no sign of the crowd ending. They crossed streets at time, and more hobos on the streets. Harry sometimes wondered if Dumbledore even knew the way. But as they arrived, he didn't know what was going on even more.

They had reached a great crowd of people, hundreds of them, mothers holding babies, fathers carrying children on their shoulders, old people, handicapped people in wheel chairs, young men holding flags, women holding picture frames, couples holding eachother all of them wearing sad, confused, unnurtured faces. Harry had never seen anything like it before in his life.

"…This is a lively crowd," murmured Cat, to his side. He glanced at her, but didn't think much of it since Dumbledore spoke.

"Looks like your Minister is about to make a speech," exclaimed Dumbledore. Karen grimaced.

"He's crazy; I don't like him," said Karen.

"He's only trying his best," said Jamie, attempting to defend their national leader.

"I'm sorry?" paused Harry, confused.

"That's our President, up there. He's been President for about two terms. He was here when it happened. And since then, he's been doing stupid things -"

"He's got us this far, without another attack, hasn't he?" guarded Jamie.

"Maybe, but at what cost-"

There came a hush over the crowd. The President was about to speak.

"Four years ago, a great tragedy occurred today that affected everyone in this country like no other day…"

Harry saw Skye tug at Professor Dumbledore's sleeve. Dumbledore knelt down just a bit 'cause Skye was already very tall.

"Professor, let's go now…" she whispered.

"Very well," he agreed, and turned around, pointing with eyes to go back. "Let's get out of this crowd…"

As they winded their way through the roots of people, Harry saw many people crying, mostly mothers, and an middleaged man rubbing his eyes too much to not be crying. Harry looked sorrowfully away, feeling strangely guilty as if a grandmother he had ignored for much of his life had died.

Sooner than he thought, they reached a long line of the sad people, and they walked numbly behind them. Dumbledore walked with the air of dignification and pity, Skye with a pondering pity, Jamie with a charming depression, Lisa with a pointless guilt, Karen with a bitter pain in her face, Harry with a acidous guilt, and Cat with just sadness. Every so often she would point out all the sad things around then including the grey skye above them, the cold wind against them, and the one baby five people ahead who was crying too loudly into someone's shoulder.

It seemed like forever passed before they finally got to what everyone was in line, for. A long fence and a monument surrounded by grave flowers, letters, notes, postcards, pictures, and any little tribute one could possibly imagine. One girl would not let go of the fence as two young women were trying to pry her away. She was crying so hard, Harry had to look away for the hundreth time.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, and suddenly Harry felt something in his hand. He pulled it out of his pocket and found a single white rose. He glanced over at the rest of them who were also puzzled by the roses they held, and he looked at Dumbledore who held a bouque of odd looking flowers.

"To the poor souls of those I did not know, may you ever find your peace…" anounced Dumbledore, and he laid the flowers down at the picture of a man with thinning hair but a big grin. His picture was labeled 1952 - 2001.

"The powerful play goes on…" said Skye laying down her rose at the picture of a woman holding her child in her arms.

"Um… I wish I knew something perfect in a Hallmark kind of way, but… um, here's lookin' at you, kid," Jamie chuckled nervously as he dropped his flower by a letter taped to the picture.

"Ditto," agreed Lisa, tossing hers beside Jamie's.

"Go into the west," muttered Cat, laying down her rose gently as if it were baby moses into the creek. Now it came for Harry to give his farewell, but still he had no idea what to say, what to feel for these people who were lost and confused. He was not an American. He wasn't here when it happened. He had no idea what they had been through, and he was not sure if he was sure to do it. He who had so much as had one thought contributed to them when it happened was standing here right now in their mourning, and he was wondering if he was good enough to do it.

Harry glanced up from his rose and stared at the pictures and the other flowers. He wondered what he could say.

"I never knew this happened until today," said Harry to the monument. "I don't know what I should say."

"Say anything you want."

Harry glanced over at Karen who had a hard look of being in pain. There were wet marks on her cheeks, and her eyes looked kind of puffy. In a force of sad frustration, Karen ripped off the petals of her rose in her hand and by tiny handfulls threw them at the mess of pictures and grave flowers, and some drifted over the fence by the wind. She didn't say anything, contradictory to her statement, but she did only with fury not words. When she blew the last petals into the wind with her breath, not her fists, she punched the fence and kicked it, then stomped around and buried her face into Skye.

Harry couldn't think of anything to saw after Karen's spectacle of rage, confusion, and painful sadness. So he just tucked his rose into the fence, locking it in and said in his head, _She didn't mean it._

And the others left.

* * *

Dumbledore led them to a small place to drink and eat not far from the scene called the Flying Cow. It was mostly empty, but a few sad faces still hung around like masks on a wall. 

They sat at a round table, each looking as glum as the other, and Prof. Dumbledore ordered them drinks. Since it was a Wizard's pub, they all ordered butterbeer and Prof. Dumbledore ordered himself a slice of Brumblebee cake.

"So…Anyone feeling any better?" remarked Prof. Dumbledore. There were a series of mumbled responses. "As to be expected, but nonetheless, it does not do well to dwell on the past since there is nothing to change it now."

No one said anything for a while, grimly staring at their beverages and twiddling their thumbs. When Prof. Dumbledore's slice of cake came, suddenly everyone wanted one for the only thing that could fill up the gaping holes in their chest seemed to be cake. Prof. Dumbledore ordered them all a piece, and when they were done eating, suddenly they all felt a little better.

"What was in that cake?" asked Skye.

"Brumbles and bees, obviously," explained Dumbledore, slightly smiling. "Now, that everyone is feeling better, perhaps we should get going. Before our presence is known."

Everyone wondered, _Known to who?_

And so, they followed their Headmaster out of the pub and down the crowded sidewalks once more. Skye and Cat followed close behind Dumbledore, him and Karen at least a person behind, and Lisa and Jamie followed close behind them. Harry felt the need to say something to Karen but he didn't know what. He felt the reaction at the fence was partly caused by him. He didn't know what he should do. Then suprising him in ways he could not describe, as neither could she, Karen grabbed a bit of his sleeve, like a child holding on. He looked over at her as she ignored him, standing on her toes to see above the gentleman in front of them.

"I'm too insecure to grab your hand," she said, not looking at him. Harry blinked at her and smiled. He took her hand and wrapped it around his arm affectionately, something he knew he could do. Karen didn't say anything, but Harry knew what she was thinking about. For an instant, Harry thought she had blushed, and suddenly, he felt better. Karen would be happy again.

"Hey, wait for the signal!" Harry was stopped by a man before crossing the street. Harry woke up from deep thoughts and realized he had no idea where he was. Across the street he could not see Dumbledore's hat. He could not see Skye's blond head, or anyone!

"Where's the Headmaster?" asked Karen.

"Hey, are we there yet?" asked Lisa from behind.

"Um…" Harry was at a loss for words, searching for the street signs to tell where they were. But even as he read them who couldn't remember the way back to the portkey. His panic was speaking.

"Maybe if we just keeping walking in this direction…" thought Karen, thinking the same thing as Harry.

"What?" said Jamie.

"Jamie, we have problem," said Karen glancing back.

"The sign's changed," said Harry, attempting to pull Karen forward.

"No, let's stay here until we can figure something out," urge Karen, not moving like stone. Impatient, people walked around them like river around an island of rock.

"Figure what out? Where's Professor Dumbledore?" asked Jamie, standing on his tows to see above them, looking for the familiar top hat.

"That's just it. We can't see him. We don't know where he is. We've lost him," said Karen as the people walked around them. Lisa stared at her.

"But that means we're lost, too," said Lisa, then she slapped her forehead. "Oh em gee, we're lost in New York City."


	17. What you Waiting For?

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading the usual. Damn, this is long, I know. Random note: Harry knows nothing of Starwars.

Song: Gwen Stefani - What you Waiting for?

* * *

Chapter 17. What you Waiting For?

If it was possible, Jamie paled even more than his usual pale white color.

"What do we do?" asked Jamie, staring into space, more than likely envisioning scenarios of their doom.

"We stay here," said Karen immediately. "In Girl scouts - shut up, Lisa - they always tell you when you get lost in the forest you stay where you are."

"I think there's a spell we can use to fin Prof. Dumbledore, but I don't…" as Harry's voice trailed off, something interrupted their thoughts. A rumble of thunder, and a drop of water hit Lisa's cheek. She glanced up, and it began to rain.

"C'mon, let's go," said Harry, intertwining his arm and clenching Karen's arm. He took them inside the nearest building which coincidentally happened to be a little bookstore. It was nice in quiet. People were scanning down the aisles picking up books off the shelves and reading them.

Harry motioned them to lean their heads in and he whispered in a low voice, "Does anyone know the nearest owlery? Then we could send a-"

"Ah, Mr. Harry Potter!"

They all glanced up, most importantly Harry. He looked across the floor and spotted a balding man in spectacles extending a wrapped package toward him. He was smiling and maybe that's what frightened Harry the most despite the fact he recognized him.

"We have the book you reserved," said the clerk. Harry walked forward and took the package, cautiously gazing at it.

"I didn't reserve anything here," he said.

"Huh. Now how can that be, sir? We have your name down here, see," he pulled out the little card that stated "Harry Potter" and tiny print "September 11th, 6:00 P.M." Harry took the card, and stared at it, baffled. He looked at the clock on the wall. It read exactly 6:00 PM. Karen took the card from his hand and glanced at her watch, then back at the card.

"Spooky," she concluded. The man took back the card from her fingers and smiled real cheerfully as he tucked it under the desk.

"It's already been pre-paid for," said the man. "Now, if you'll excuse me…"

The man walked off with a stack of books into the back room. Harry traced his hands along the corners of the book, disturbed by the latest events.

"How could you have done that?" said Jamie over Harry's shoulder. "Time turner, maybe?"

"Shhh!" hushed a customer. Jamie cowered and slipped in between Harry and Karen.

"But why would I?" Harry asked himself.

"Open it," suggested Jamie.

"Um…" Karen's train of thought broke off.

"No, let's not," said Lisa, abruptly, forming the circle around the book in Harry's hands. Harry couldn't hear her. He picked a corner of the book, and was about to rip it off, when Lisa grabbed it.

"NO, DON'T OPEN IT-"

A burst of fire-like flame exploded and they dropped it immediately, but it was too late. The wrapping paper dissolved, and the white flames erupted like a snapped fire hydrant, shooting into the air above them forming a bright and shining orb.

"What is it?" whispered Karen. Harry was at a loss for words. The white orb soon became a moon. Harry felt someone grab his wrist, and he glanced up. Karen was staring across the room. The customers were changing, dropping their books. Their faces became long, fur began sprouting all over their body, their clothes ripping, their eyes becoming large and pitch black. Harry recognized the process as they dropped to all fours, their muscles breaking the surface and teeth growing long and sharp.

"Wtf, werewolves," said Jamie.

"RUN!" shouted Harry, and they all made a run for it. They ran out the door, into the rain, weaving through the crowd in a rushed manner, but no one would get out of the way fast enough. The rain was dropping fast, and everyone had their umbrella's and hats out, and although there was not that many people out on the streets, there were plenty enough to obstruct them.

"Excuse me, pardon me, urgh!" Harry shoved against them, trying to break through, making sure he never let go of Karen and she never let go of him.

"HARRY!" he heard Lisa scream. Harry stopped dead in his tracks at the intersection, and before the car in front of him could go, a whirling SUV flew out of the sky and landed smack down on top of it.

CRASH.

Harry did not breathe for five seconds. He wasn't quite aware of it, but people ran around him were screaming and another car back ended another car. He felt someone squeezing his arm real tightly, he felt someone touch his face, and he woke up.

"Harry, you okay!" demanded Karen. Harry woke up.

"So this is New York City?" asked Harry staring at her.

"Let's go!" shouted Lisa, grabbing Karen from behind, and Karen grabbed Harry, and they started running again, running into traffic.

"This is crazy! Why are they chasing us!" gasped Karen as they were running through the rain and down the street. Another car landed in a store beside, and Harry jumped into a duck, grabbing the back of his head as if it was an inch from hitting him instead of five feet farther. Lisa grabbed Harry's hand and led him back to running

"Greyback lackies!" shouted Jamie, back to them. "They're after Harry!"

"Greyback lackies? What the hell are you talking about?" shouted Lisa.

"We need to find the portkey. We need to get back to Hogwarts!" Jamie jumped in front of a cab, holding out his hands to stop it.

"Whoa, kid, cool it! What'd you think you're doin'-"

But Karen was already banging on the window. A scared looking man was staring at her and shrugging and shaking his head.

"Please, let us in. There are werewolves, chasing us, they're-"

Suddenly out of nowhere, a werewolf smashed on to the hood, greeting them with a row of shining, hungry grin.

"GYAAH!" shrieked Karen, falling backwards onto Harry. Lisa whipped out her wand-

"_STUPEFY_!" shouted Lisa, as quick as lightning. The werewolf was blasted back into traffic, were it was hit by a mitsubishi.

"What the fuck - you just used magic in front of muggles!" shouted Jamie at Lisa.

"Kudos," muttered Karen as she and Harry scrambled onto their feet, and they began running down the street again, keeping close proximity of each other.

"What now!" shouted Lisa. "We're lost, where do we go!"

"Police Station!" suggested Karen.

"Muggles can't help us!" shouted Jamie.

"Damn, I'm tired," exasperated Karen, her hands falling to her knees and stopping, "'can't I just rest for one-"

"No!" shouted Harry.

"Quick, down here!" and Lisa grabbed Karen by the hand and dragged her down the steps into the subway. They followed and on the last few steps, Harry slipped on the wet steps and they all slammed against each other into the wall. A few civilians laughed. It seemed the chaos above had no effect of the people below, waiting for the underground train. The teenagers glanced around, confused, soaking wet, and ever vigilant for their hairy stalkers as they pulled away from the entrance staircase.

"I don't think the police station will be of much help," said Harry to Karen. "Don't you know any magical services around here?"

"This is my first time here," said Karen, her brows furrowed in confusion. Harry gaped at her.

"But you live in America!" said Harry.

"So? You ever been to the stone henge?"

"Well, no…"

"But you live in Europe!"

Lisa rolled her eyes with Harry's confused but slightly convinced look.

"Didn't you say you had a cousin in New York, Karen?" asked Lisa.

"Yeah, I do, but, I don't know where she lives. And she doesn't know anything about wizards," said Karen, fidgeting with a moth hole in the sleeve of her sweat jacket.

"But it's someplace to hide. Quick, let's fine a phone book. There might be one at the information directory," said Jamie, already jogging toward the help desk. He didn't bother to stand in line, he merely shoved the person aside.

"Hey!"

"Do you have a phonebook, I can borrow?" said Jamie.

"I'm sorry, sir, you'll have to wait in line-"

"JUST GIVE ME THE DAMN PHONEBOOK!" shouted Jamie, slamming his fist against the counter. He left a huge crack. The frightened woman behind the counter quickly went out of sight and reappeared with a phonebook.

"Thanks," said Jamie, quickly grabbing it and turning around, holding it in his arms.

"Thanks, Jamie," thanked Karen, and she began flipping through it while he held it.

"Arlington, Carrington…Hancock…Kiddo… Lemoine, Ling…" murmured Karen. She searched the phonebook, looking for her cousin. Harry heard a scream, and they all turned up to see a man thrown down the stairs.

SCREECH.

Harry heard the metal, and the gasp of doors opening and turned to see the train arrived and people loading on.

"We'll finish this up, later," said Harry, touching Karen on the back as if telling her the need to move. Jamie slammed the book close, and they reached the crowd squeezing like sheep into the revolving bar entrance. Jamie didn't bother to deal with using the bars. There was no time. He jumped over the register, in an inhuman way, baffling Harry with questions but there was no time for that either.

Lisa put one knee over the register and the other and then skidded over the side and joined Jamie. So did Karen and Harry, and then they all forcefully, edged through the crowd and found themselves on the train, squeezed in with other frightened passengers.

Karen was gasping, out of breath, she managed to find a seat next to a pregnant woman, but then as soon as she found it, she gave it to Lisa.

"Where's the phonebook?" asked Lisa. Jamie reached in between Harry and Karen and handed her the fat book.

"Good lord, ours isn't even this big. What's her name?" asked Lisa, flipping through it.

"Lena Lopez," said Karen. "Alliteration."

Lisa gave her a weird look of "oh my God, is that all you can say after running from werewolves?"

"Yeah," said Karen nodding, recognizing the look. Harry sighed took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Karen yawned and leaned her head on Jamie's shoulder.

"Want a hug?" asked Jamie. Karen didn't say anything; she just turned around and collapsed into Jamie's hug.

"Karen, I'm not a mattress, you gotta stand up…" croaked Jamie under the pressure. Harry couldn't help but smile. Ron and Hermione never acted like this after a life-threatening moment. This was both unbelievable and somewhat relieving.

"I found her. Lena Lopez. 135 Evans Avenue," said Lisa, then she began memorizing it, closing her eyes. " 135 Evans Avenue, 135 Evans Avenue."

"Thanks Lisa."

There was a nice pause of silence around them. People were whispering to each other so the room did not seem too loud. They were all too tired to say anything and when someone actually found the energy to open their mouth, they sighed.

Harry was too preoccupied with the current situation to think about tomorrow's Quidditch tryouts. He wondered if he would even live to see them as well as live to kill or be killed by Voldemort. And when Harry remembered Voldemort, he remembered the werewolves, and he remembered what had caused the werewolves.

"The moon," said Harry, unawares he had said it aloud. "Someone planted a moon in that book."

Karen looked up.

"But didn't you do that-"

"No, I didn't. I couldn't have. Why would I?" asked Harry to himself.

"So someone must've known that you would've been in that room at that exact time," said Jamie, drawing his own conclusions. "And known about the werewolves."

"But how would they? And who would do it?" asked Harry.

"Dumbledore said we did not want our presence to be known. Known to who?" asked Lisa.

"Harry, you said there were people after you," said Karen.

"Deatheaters," Jamie and Harry said in a hush. They both glanced at each other quizzically.

"Are they, like a popular group overseas as well in England?" asked Karen in a whisper. Harry drew a blank.

"I don't know," said Harry, honestly, "but if there are werewolves after me, then clearly there are people here who do not like me."

"Who do you think, though?" asked Karen.

"Voldemort," murmured Jamie and Harry simultaneously. They both looked at each other again, disturbed by the coincidence again.

"Who's that guy?" asked Lisa, raising a brow. The two boys gaped at her, startled by her ignorance.

"The Dark Lord," said Jamie. "He's the worst, baddest wizard of all magical history. He's done so many terrible things. He's after Harry, you see, 'cause after killing Harry's parents, he tried to kill Harry - when he was only a baby - with the Killing Curse. But, instead of killing Harry, it backfired, and killed him! And for a 15 years we all thought he was dead! But it turns out he came back to life! And now he's worse than ever," summarized Jamie for Lisa. Lisa stared at Jamie in disbelief, then looked at Harry.

"For real?" she asked. Harry nodded.

"He killed my parents, and my…" Harry let go some air from his lungs he never knew he was holding back, "godfather. He's a murderer, and evil. He won't stop at nothing to kill me."

There was a pause of silence between, revering horror, and speechlessness, and a twinge of sadness.

"I'm sorry," muttered Lisa.

"What's there to be sorry about?" scoffed Harry, and odd placed smile on his face. He ran a hand through his messy hair as combing unhappy memories from his head. "You didn't kill my family."

CRUNCH.

The subway car jolted. There were sounds of screaming from the other cart in the back and everyone's head flew up in that direction. Suddenly, all four of them knew what was happening. Their predators had somehow gotten on the train.

"How did they get on the train?" whispered Karen. No one knew the answer, but everyone knew what they must do next.

"Run," said Jamie, unable to lift his voice any louder. The book fell from Lisa's lap, and they began scrambling through the crowded subway train toward the front of the cart.

With Karen leading the way, he unlocked the door and crossed the space between the carts and this newer cart, being less crowded, they ran through much easier, but the noise of crunching, scraping metal and horrifying screams echoed behind them. Harry didn't have to time to think of what would've happened if he had tried to take the werewolves on. He could barely deal with one werewolf, nonetheless, five. But still to him it felt so wrong, running away like this.

Suddenly, it stopped him.

"I can't do this," said Harry.

"Why are you stopping! We gotta keep going!" shouted Jamie.

"All those people, they're getting hurt, and I'm responsible," said Harry, then he turned around and began walking back. Someone grabbed his arm.

"Harry, what're you doing?" demanded Lisa.

"I'm going to save them-"

"Oh shut up, you wannabe!" snapped Jamie in anger. Harry whirled around.

"What'd you call me!" snapped Harry, ticked. Jamie walked up to Harry, passed Karen, staring him in the eyes since they were around the same height.

"I called you a wannabe, you fake-o. I see your name in the newspaper, in the Quibbler. You act all high and mighty, like you're a hero, can't help it, but you're just so fake!" snapped Jamie.

"What's so fake about me! It's not like I'm trying to be the hero! I'm just trying to protect the people I love!" snapped Harry, glaring Jamie in the eyes.

"You say that, but do you mean it? You're all ready to sacrifice yourself, but then somehow someone ends up dieing and it's - not - YOU!" snapped Jamie, shoving Harry.

"Whoa! Now, wait, Jamie-"

"You don't get it! I didn't ask to be fuckin' Harry Potter! All I've ever wanted is to be happy, and you just don't get it when everyone is treating you like you have some duty to save the world! Like you gotta die to save them, like some make-believe JESUS!" Harry shot back, shoving Jamie back.

"Oh, saying you're Jesus, now aren't you! Suddenly, you're the victim! You are so self-"

"LADY, WATCHOUT!"

There were screams, and the car jolted. This woke the boys, letting go of each other to maintain balance.

"_STUPEFY_!" shrieked Karen. Harry turned to see a gigantic beast go flying back and straight through the back wall.

"What the hell did you just do!" shouted a random passenger, far away from the kids. Karen ignored him.

"C'mon," Lisa grabbed Harry's arm and began leading him down the end of the cart. She waved her wand, muttering a spell, and the door flew open. Lisa shoved him inside, but as soon as her foot touched the bridge, it ripped away, and Lisa grabbed onto Harry, and Harry grabbed onto the door handle.

Mysteriously, the brace connecting one car to the other broke off with a loud SNAP and the other car began to slipping away, and all Harry and Lisa could do was to hold onto each other and watch to slip.

And maybe scream.

"Jamie…Karen!" said Lisa, breathless, still clenching Harry's arm as he held on back. Something clicked in Harry's mind like instinct.

"KAREN!"

Then without much thinking, Harry let go of Lisa(Lisa quickly grabbed a side railing of the doorframe, letting go of Harry as well), withdrew his wand from an inside pocket, and shouting a spell he knew would only work so much and probably not at all-

"_ACCIO SUBWAYCART_!"

Harry felt a tremendous yank on his arm, like he suddenly became the brace between the door handle and the magnetic force between the point of his wand.

"URGH!" Harry strengthened his grip on the door handle and gripped tightly to the pull of the weight was dragging him more forward then it toward him. Harry felt like his arms were stretching, like his body was under pressure he couldn't take. And then without warning, the spell broke.

"AAAH!" Harry pulled back, accidentally, falling back against the door and opening it. Lisa pulled herself inside, bent down and touched Harry's forehead as if checking for a fever.

"You okay!" she asked. Harry didn't say anything. He jumped back onto his feet and stared out into the open door way as the following cart seem to dwindle in the dark, ignoring the shouts of civilians behind him to close the door. He looked at his right hand, noticing his skin was paler and his internal veins seemed more visabe. He glanced back up, still seeing the door of the cart in the distance. He raised his wand one more time.

"_ACCIO SUBWAYCART_!"

As soon as he said the words, concentrating hard, a great pull yanked on Harry's arm again, and he began sliding forward on his shoes. Just on luck, he quickly the door railing, the same one Lisa held before and held on tight to the weight. He felt his muscles stretching, like spandex about to rip. He concentrated hard. And slowly it came forward.

Lisa stared in speechlessness and awe on her knees as Harry summon the rest of five thousand ton vehicle to him.

"How is he doing that?" asked the voice of a little girl.

"Magic," muttered Lisa, still watching him in a state of shock.

When the cart came within a foot of the broken brace of their cart, Harry choked out, "Lisa!… Repair the lock!"

Lisa awoke in a split second and jumped to help him in his agony.

"_Reparo_!" Lisa pointed at the broken braces and they became latched as if nothing could crack them again. Harry's arm fell like the bones had been zapped again and letting go breath he had been holding for strength. He jumped across the divide and swung open the door.

Jamie had a large wound in his ribs, but he didn't seem to bothered by it. His wand was raised at the werewolf who had cornered him against the side. There were two dead naked men lying next to each other, huge gashes in their necks. Harry took two steps forward, and people realized the cart had been mysteriously reconnected. They all rushed toward the exit, into the other cart, unorganized and crowded reminding Harry something out of a movie. He imagined Lisa was too bombarded with people to get through the one-person door entrance after him. Harry thought perhaps it was best. She wouldn't get hurt in what he was about to do.

But where's Karen? thought Harry glancing about rapidly. Then he saw her, hiding under the seat Jamie was protecting from the largest of the werewolves in a green plated armor. From what he could see, she looked very much wounded, perhaps worse than Jamie. Their eyes met. Her eyes flew open, and she screamed.

"HARRY!"

Harry felt a huge weight tackle him to the ground, he found himself on his back a werewolf attempting to naw at his neck. Harry was trying to hold him back , struggling under the weight and dodging the viscous, venomous fangs.

"_STUPEFY_!- ARGH!"

The huge werewolf flew off of him and slammed again the ceiling, slammed into a group of people with a whimper.

"JAMIE! EEYAH!"

Harry rolled onto his feet to see a werewolf rip Karen from under the seat by the leg, dripping blood. Jamie was on the floor, seemingly unconscious. The werewolf growled at her, holding her upside down.

"_STUPEFY_!" shouted Harry, pointing his wand. The spell bounced off this werewolf's armor, and it hit Harry with a loud BANG. He went flying backwards hitting a wall instead of people who had piled into th enext cart by now.

The werewolf, not realizing the curse had hit him at all, squeezed Karen's leg with both hands as if determined to break it. Karen bit back a scream.

"Karen…" chocked Harry, slowly getting on to his feet. There was a loud crack and Karen screamed.

"DAMMIT THAT WAS MY LEG YOU SON OF -" The werewolf was about to eat her face when she punched him. He dropped her, rubbing his bleeding nostral like a dog would, and she picked up a fallen granny cane off the ground, and hit the dog real hard in the nuts.

There echoed the loudest, longest howl in the history of howls, boucing off the walls of the tunnel(and Harry was sure of this), and climbing through the subway train station and even echoing throughout the entire city of New York.

Harry stared, bewildered.

Oh no, but that was not enough. As soon as the werewolf was crouching on the ground in a vulnerable position, Karen used a pole to get onto her one stable foot , and then as soon as she was balanced on one foot, with a furious look on her face, she raised the cane and beat the poor creature in the buttocks, letting out another painful howl, yet not quite as loud as the last one.

Harry just continued to stare. The werewolf that was once on top of Harry, lunged at Karen, but it was too late. She saw him coming, whirled around hit him in the nuts, rendering another painful howl, and the monster fell to into a feeble position. Since she had moved all to quickly, Karen fell onto her back and cried out.

"Owww!" she groaned. Harry shook his head and limped to her rescue.

"Karen, you okay?" asked Harry.

"No, Harry!"

"I know, I know, dumb question-"

Karen whimpered, attempting to get back onto her feet by herself. "Ow!" She winced. The palms of her hands were bloody. Harry tried to help her, but it was hard to help her when the places he would usually touch to help her where cut, bruised, or bleeding.

"God, you're so hurt. I tried to get here sooner, but I had trouble Accio-ing the subwaytrackthing-"

"You accio-ed the cart?" laughed Karen nervously as he helped support her. "That's damn near impossible."

"Karen! Jamie!" They both looked up to see Lisa look at them then rush to Jamie's fallen form. She fell to her knees and stared at him. Harry helped Karen to get near them. Lisa stared at Jamie for the longest time. Harry thought for sure she would fall onto her chest and start pouring her heart out for him. However, unexpectedly she just took him by the shoulders and shook him violently.

"UwahuWAHuWAHuWAH WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? Here I am on my deathbed, and all you do is shake me like a maracca!" snapped Jamie, sitting up abruptly . He rubbed his shoulders, and muttered under his breath, "You crazy Korean girl."

Lisa pretended she didn't hear that.

"Guess you better remember that next time you decide to play dead," then she muttered under breath, "you psychotic weirdo."

Jamie pretended he didn't hear that.

"So…I see the bad guys are either dead or gone. What happened?" asked Jamie. He frowned at Harry. "And where were you?"

Harry furrowed his brows in annoyance.

"Lisa dragged me to the next cart-"

"-I thought you guys were right behind me!" interrupted Lisa.

"-AND the brace connecting the two carts broke so I had to Accio it."

Jamie stared at him in suspicious disbelief.

"You Accio-ed a 36,567 tonpiece of subway train?" Jamie translated. Harry stared at him, then nodded slowly as if it wasn't too hard to understand. Jamie stared at him then threw his hands into the air. "DUDE! That's some crazy shit you can do! Hell, that's something only Yoda could do."

"Yoda?"


	18. Island in the Sun

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading Chapter 1-17. Hakuna matata provided by the Konei foundation represted by PO-TA-TOES.

Song: Weezer - Island in the Sun

* * *

Chapter 18. Island in the Sun

After after knocking tossing out the last two werewolves, they sat for the remainder of the ride, resting against each other, sighing and breathing. Luckily, Karen's leg had not broken, only hurt really badly(enough to make disturbing noise), and there was no need to go to the hospital just yet. Harry thought how funny it would be to tell the nurses and the doctors that they had been attacked by enchanted werewolves and violently fought them on the subway. They would laugh so hard the staff would have to go to the emergency room themselves for a heart strokes.

They sat all comfortable, Karen and Harry resting against each other and Jamie resting against Lisa's shoulder(much to Lisa's uncomfortableness). No one was talking. No one felt like talking. They were all too tired to speak, to move, to breathe. Even as Karens hand rested against Harry's there was anxiousness to pull away. Even as Jamie's thigh touched Harry's, he didn't bother to get upset and scoot over. He was too tired to get angry at Jamie, and more or less, his anger was gone anyway, for watching over Karen. The harshness of Karen's mood had subsided ever since he took her hand in the crowd earlier that evening. No one was cold either, despite having ran in the rain, escaping from werewolves, and even being damp in a cold subway cart, alone, they didn't mind They had been sitting there for a good ten minutes in silence, and their hair was just beginning to dry and so were various parts of their clothing. They were all close to each other so their body heat was keeping them warm and comfortable('cept for Lisa who did not like Jamie's head on her shoulder).

Soon there came a screech of the cart, and the sound of the doors opening awoke them all.

"Uwhat?" yawned Karen. "Is this the stop?"

"Yeah, I think it is," said Lisa, standing up. "'Least I'm sure. Yeah…"

"Huh," moaned Jamie rubbing his eyes. Harry stood up and stretched, and they walked out together, ever watchful for werewolves.

As soon as they climbed the steps from the subway station, the rain had stopped and it was as night time.

"Oh crap," sighed Karen. "It's already dark. Ow, I'm hungry."

"Ow?" Harry was still puzzled by the "ow"s she gave when she was hungry.

"Me, too," said Jamie, his stomache making loud noises in anger.

"Me, three," mumbled Lisa, staring at her feet. "I want some ramen. Anyone got any money?"

"Hey, first we gotta get to Karen's cousin's house first. Then we can figure out something from there," said Harry, although he was quite hungry, too.

And so they went in search of 135 Evans Avenue. On the way, they asked a rather poorly dressed woman if she knew of the street. She nodded and gestured to them which roads to take, giving them decent directions(Harry had no idea why the woman was dressed so indecently, but as they walked away, both Lisa and Jamie hit her across the head for asking a "hooker" for directions). Along the way, they were passed by a story who gave them free samples of pretzel pieces(which kept them alive for another five minutes), and an oriental woman came up to Lisa with a map and asking things in another language. Lisa shook her head and said something in another lanuage, and the woman nodded and went away. The passed by a video game store displaying carboard cutouts of strang looking boys and girls, and Harry had difficulty pulling all of them away. At one time, they had to stop and sit down 'cause Karen's leg was bothering her. For a while they got to know an old man who left his family for another woman. Their fascination didn't last long, and they got up and started walking again. When they passed by a tv store, they all stopped and watched soundless tv for a while before walking again. A good looking man talking on his cellphone walked by and Karen accidentally bumped into an old lady in front of them staring at them. Lisa rolled his eyes and dragged her away from the scene.

"Are we there yet?" asked Jamie.

"I think so. Look, it's just down that street," said Harry, pointing across the street.

In so, in some miraculous way, they found their way to 135 Evans Avenue and a strange looking home that reminded Harry of the town homes in London. Karen walked up to the door and rang the door bell. A few seconds later a man came out, surprising Karen.

"Um… hi, is Lena Lopez home?" asked Karen. The man was tall, but not that much taller than Jamie or Harry. He was dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt as if just being comfortable for home.

"No, she isn't. Who's looking for her?" asked the man raising a brow.

"Um, me, I'm her cousin, Karen Hartholmes?" Karen said. Harry couldn't help but get a bit nervous. What if they had somehow made a big mistake. "And these are my friends."

The man stared at her for a while, wearing a thoughtful look on his face that then became enlightened.

"Oh yeah… I remember you. Uncle Matt's and Aunt Mary's daughter, right? Weren't you the girl at the wedding reception who wouldn't dance? I remember, you were all dressed in black. 'Course now, you look like you kinda been hit by a bus," commented the man, raising a brow and looking her over. Indeed, Karen looked worse than the rest of them. Her leg and arm were blood stained, and although the man couldn't see it, there were large four red stripes on her back from where a werewolf had struck her down. Her hair was a little straggly and her eyes red from crying earlier that day.

The man opened the iron door and came out, extending out his hand shaking hers. "Hi, I'm Matt, Lena's fiance remember? Well, I wasn't then, but I am now."

"I know; I heard," Karen commented nervously.

"Well, Lena won't be back from work for another 30 minutes, can you wait around 'til then?" asked Matt. Karen grinned brightly, nodding vivaciously.

"'Course! Thanks. Can my friends, stay, too?" asked Karen, glancing back at the lot of them. Matt looked a little uneasy, but he smiled just the same.

"Oh sure. Why not? What happened to you guys, anyway? Did you get into some gang argument?" inquired Matt, opening his door to the motley crew. "You guys look hungry. Want some dinner? I'll have to make some more spagetti though. If I had known you guys were gonna show up, I would've made my famous General Tso's Chicken…"

The house was warm and inviting. One could tell that not only a man lived here but a woman, too, for there was a couch cluttered with magazines, and carpet, a tv, and a few stuffed animals were lying on the ground next to the tv. There was also another man sitting on the couch watching the tv. There was a cd organizer next to the tv and large boom box against the wall. There was another book case and filled with DVDs and another bookcase actually filled with books. On the wall hung a sign that said "Mexican Parking only" and a picture of a large family hung beside it. There was a painting not too far, sitting against the wall as if waiting to be framed. Karen stared at the man sitting, and he soon noticed the eyes on him.

"Hey," he greeted, not really smiling.

"Karen, this is Ben, he's our other room mate. He's a friend of mine and Lena's," explained Matt. "Ben, this is Lena's cousin from… Massachusetts, right?"

"Yeeah."

"Okay, um, nice to meet you. Lena's very nice," commented Ben rather randomly. Karen nodded, shaking his hand.

"Um, yeah, she is rather nice."

"How long are you staying in New York?" asked Ben.

"Uh…" Lisa was at a loss for words.

"Um, I don't know…" interjected Karen.

"You're not staying in a hotel, are you? You guys could bunk here, if you want…" said Ben, then he smiled. "But then you guys would probably prefer it in a hotel-"

"No, we'd love to stay here," Harry blurted out. Matt stared at him.

"You're British, aren't you?" asked Matt. Harry drew a blank.

"Um, what?"

"That accent.."

"Oh yes, I am," Harry said all too awkwardly.

"Yes, my friends and I all go to the same boarding school in England," interrupted Karen, swerving the center of attention back to her.

"Wow, that's amazing, but -"

"I'm hungry, when will dinner be ready?"

* * *

Dinner was ready in ten minutes, and as soon as they all sat down to eat, the doorbell rang. 

"Hi, sweetie, I got off early so that we could… who are all these people? And why are you all sitting at the table? Karen?"

Karen blinked, gulped down the rest of her food, and grinned with an embarrassingly blush on her cheeks.

"Hi, Lena."

"Karen!" A woman taller than Karen with brown eyes, black mane like hair, and tan skin dropped her bag on the floor and went to hug her cousin. "Oh, it's so nice to see you! What're you doing here! I thought you were at boarding school! Why are so beat up? What happened to you!"

"Um, it's a long story. You see um, we're in a school field trip, but only for a day, and well, we got lost, and we've missed the flight back to school. Plus, we kinda got into a fight," she lied, partly. Harry had to admit, it was a little far out, but it would do.

"So you need a place to stay?" asked her cousin Lena, raising a brow suspiciously.

"Um, yes, please? I know the first time I visit you is only 'cause I need a place to stay, but I don't have any money-"

"No, it's fine, it's fine! I'm glad you're still alive, after the fight with…who? Oh, it doesn't matter; New York can be so dangerous," said Lena, and stood up straight. "Now, who are these people?"

"This is Lisa Minne, Jamie Jettison, and Harry Potter-"

"COUGH!" Ben was choking on his noodles. He appeared to be dieing. Matt began slapping him on the back.

"Awesome! Is there anymore pasta left for me, baby?"

"Oh yeah, I left a plate out for you..."

"Thank you. I'm guessing you've met Matt, Karen; isn't he the cutest…."

* * *

Right after dinner over much discussing and gossip on Matt and Lena's wedding coming in April and Karen's life at home in Masachusetts, Lena turned in for the night along with Matt but not before she set them up for the night. 

"Alright since this place is already small enough, everyone will sleep in the living room, Karen and Lisa on the couch, you two boys on the ground," said Lena, taking down sleeping bags and extra comforters from the closet. She handed one to Harry then Jamie, and set up sheets on the couch.

"Want me to move the coffee table?" offered Ben, walking out of the bathroom.

"Yeah, that would be nice, thanks, Ben," said Lena, tucking in the sheets and spreading setting two comforters on opposite sides of the couch for them to use.

"Here, I'll help." Harry bended down to touch the coffee table, but Ben turned bright red and shook his head as if it were criminal.

"No, no, no, no, I'm a strong man; I can do it," said Ben and indeed he did, with some difficulty he pushed the coffee table over to the wall leaving more room on the carpet between the tv and the sofa. Harry shrugged and laid down the sleeping bag.

"Here you go Harry, Here's another blanket and a pillow," said Lena, handing him a spare pillow and soft blanket.

"Do you have any pajamas I could borrow, Lena?" asked Karen. Lena winced as if an arrow had hit her.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. You probably don't want to sleep in those…" Lena grimaced. "Yeah, I have something for the both of you… Ben, do you think you could loan some clothes to the two boys?"

Ben stared at Jamie, then at Harry and beamed.

"Sure, I know I've got a few old clothes," said Ben, as he headed for the stairs.

"No, you really don't-"

"WEAR MY CLOTHES!" declared Ben, very commanding. Everyone stared at him, including Harry who the shout was directed at. Ben turned a bright shade of red. "Sorry. I mean, you know. It's okay. Your clothes will get the sleeping bags all dirty anyway."

* * *

"Yup, this I'll fit you fine. Might be kind of big on you, but it'll do," said Len, laying out another t-shirt and pajama pants on the bed in the master bedroom. Matt was brushing his teeth in the bathroom not far. 

"Um, Lena, do you have any bandages?" asked Karen as Lena led them up the stairs. Lena glanced back at her.

"What, you have OH MY GOD YOU'VE BEEN MAULED BY A BEAR!" shrieked Lena. Lisa's mouth fell open, and Karen covered her eyes, looking very aggravated.

"You mean, you didn't notice before!" demanded Lisa.

"She had her jacket all zipped up, but now I can clearly see we gotta get you to a hospital-"

"I'm FINE, Lena, I just need a couple of band aids," said Karen, rolling her eyes. Lena limply smiled and randomly took her into a hug. Then instantly regretted it.

"Karen…go take a shower."

* * *

"Um, I don't know how they'll fit you. Probably fine. You two are about my height and weight anyway," said the young man, tossing back clothes over his shoulder as he dug through some piles on the ground in the corner of his room. Jamie picked up the shirt and looked at the label. 

"Starwars fan?" pondered Jamie, a grin coming across his face. Harry was confused.

"Yeah, totally. It's a guilty obsession," smiled Ben, withdrawing another t-shirt and sniffing it.

"What's Starwars?" asked Harry, raising a intriguing brow. Both Ben and Jamie looked at him.

"You don't know?" they asked simultaneously.

"It's only the greatest pimpin' thing ever!" Jamie shouted, throwing his arms into the air, scaring Harry with his enthusiasm.

"Oh it won't be enough to explain it to him. Here," Ben rolled over his bed which was in the center of the room to other side and got back on his feet. He peered over a bookcase, and withdrew three dvds. He rolled over the bed again and shoved them into Harry's arms. "Watch these."

"What, tonight?" asked Harry.

"I'm not letting you take them when you leave," said Ben, shaking his head. He bent down again and went back to sifting through a pile of clothes for another shirt. Jamie began changing into the new pants, tossing his blood stained clothes on the ground. Harry watched Ben going through his things.

Why did Ben cough at dinner? Why did he not want me to help? Why does he want me to wear his clothes? pondered Harry, then as he thought them over, the conclusion he found made sense.

"Ben, you know me, don't you?" said Harry. Ben stopped moving. "You know who I am? That I'm the boy who lived?"

Ben didn't say anything at first, but then sighed and said, "Yes, I do."

Ben turned back to look at him and Jamie who had just finished pulling up the new set of pants and was now staring at Ben.

"I'm a wizard, and no, I didn't go to Hogwarts, like you two," said Ben, then turned back around to digging again. "I went to Ficklesmog, an American school for witchcraft and wizardry. I was only nine when it happened. The whole …You-Know-Who thing. My parents went into hiding, just like yours, Harry, but after being found and found again, we finally went so far as to American shores. Anyway, when word came of you defeating You-Know-Who, by then we were too settled in to move back home. And I've been living here ever since."

"So, yes, Harry, I know who you are," sighed Ben. "I presume you've met the city werewolves?"

Harry's eyes flew open.

"The City Werewolves?"

"New York City's underground is over run by werewolves. There are secret gang wars between vampires and werewolves underground. The Presidency is was just overcoming it but then just this year, word of You-Know-Who's return came, and the war got out of hand. Werewolves are getting help from wizards, and in return for helping the dark forces, the wizards help them conquer the vampires," explained Ben, finally finding a t-shirt with the picture of a man playing the electric guitar. He handed it to Harry.

"Incredible," Harry said, bewildered.

"Yes, well," nodded Ben. "You don't have to worry about them finding you here. I've put charms all over the house already to hide Lena, Matt, and me. This house is well protected. So no need to take turns keep watch tonight if you were thinking of doing that. Professor Dumbledore know where you are?"

Harry shook his head.

"Probably not. We lost sight of him," sighed Harry.

"Harry lost sight of him," corrected Jamie done changing. Harry shot him a dirty look.

"Hey, no problem. I'll just send out an owl to tell him you're safe with me and he'll come to pick you up in the morning," smiled Ben, patting Harry on the back. "I guess I'll be leaving now. Oh wait, don't you want to take a bath or something you, too? And you! You were all bloodied up? You sure you don't want a bandage or something?"

Jamie looked down at himself and smiled nervously.

"Nah, I'm fine, really, they're just scratches they'll be gone in the morning," excused Jamie. Now Harry was very confused. He could've sworn Jamie was very well much more injured than he was now. Indeed, the large claw marks seemed to have gone away, and now look like red slits on his left cheek. His arms looked fine. Harry couldn't see it, but he bet even the huge gash in his side was probably a scab. What was this healing ability he had? Did he use a spell when Harry wasn't looking? What?

"Oh…alright then. Harry, you want to take a show-"

"Yeah, thanks," Harry jumped ahead. Ben shrugged.

"Alright. Bathroom's down the hall. Oh, and here you go, Jamie. That girl looked pretty bad herself, so when you see her, tell her put this on her cuts. It'll help heal her the cuts."

Ben tossed the small bottle at Jamie, and luckily, he caught it.

"I'm gonna go grab something downstairs." Ben walked out, but then came back a second later and closed the door behind him. Then he quietly whispered discretely, "Also, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell Lena or Matthew that I'm a wizard."

"Why don't you tell them? You're good friends, aren't you?" asked Harry. Ben gave a weak smile and rubbed the back of his head.

"Believe me, I've been trying, but you know, I'll tell them when the time is right," said Ben. He then opened the door again. "But anyway, I'll be going now to the nearest owlery afterwords."

He grabbed a pair of keys off the dressor and walked downstairs, leaving Harry and Jamie somewhat confused and content.

* * *

After getting out of the shower, he found Lisa and Karen downstairs doing some weird kind of tribal dance. Actually, Jamie and Lisa were attempting to do it, and Karen was hopping a long on one foot since her other leg was previously injured. 

"Uh…What's going on?" asked Harry, standing at the foot of the stairs. At the sight of Harry, Jamie stumbled and took Lisa down with him.

Ker-THUD.

"Oh, hey, Harry! We were just performing the dance, you know! To keep evil away," said Karen. Harry stared at her, slowly remembering that night in the woods.

"Oh," said Harry, still staring at them. Did he and Karen look as ridiculous as they did dancing?

"Alright, back to dancing! We are not alone-"

"HOLD UP, that's not necessary. Um, I don't think the werewolves will find us here," said Harry, grabbing Karen before she get to hopping around again.

"How do you know? Have you set up protective charms and stuff?" asked Karen, raising an eyebrow. Harry glanced about, searching for signs of Len, Matt, and/or Ben, and motioned for Lisa and Karen to come closer.

"Ben is secretly a wizard and has set up the charms all around the house. He's also sending an owl out to tell Dumbledore we're all okay," said Harry.

"How do you know the werewolves won't just eat the owl?" asked karen.

Everyone stared at her.

"What?"

Suddenly, Lisa smiled staring at Harry's chest.

"Harry, what have you got there?" asked Lisa, gesturing to the stack in his arms. Harry forgot he had been carried it downstairs.

"Um…" Harry began, not knowing how to explain.

"Starwars! Cool let's watch 'em!" exclaimed Karen. She took them from Harry's arm and plopped herself in front of the dvd player.

"Karen, what are you doing?" asked Lena, dropping a stack of blankets on the ground.

"Can we watch some movies, please?" asked Karen. "Before we go to bed?"

Lena shrugged. "I guess. But don't stay up too late. Tomorrow we contact your school."

* * *

Half-way between being stuck the garbage compartment and Obi Wan's death, someone finally noticed the similarities between Harry and the story. 

"That's something only Ron would do," said Harry out of the blue. Karen and Jamie both looked at him as Lisa continued to watch the film.

"You're right," said Karen.

"And you're just like Luke," said Jamie. Harry blinked at him.

"What? No…not really," said Harry, although he himself was starting to think about it.

"Ohhohhohoh, yeah, you are! And Leia's Hermione!" declared Karen.

"Shut up," mumbled Harry, feeling rather embarrassed.

They started watching the movie again, when Karen asked something.

"Is Hermione your sister?" asked Karen.

"GOD!" shouted Jamie.

"Nooo! Now you've ruined the whole movie for him!"

Well, no, actually she didn't ruin the whole movie for him.

For the rest of the night, Harry and the other watched in great interest, enjoying Harry's angry look when Han Solo didn't say I love you back, his uproar of confusion when Darth Vader claimed to be Luke's father, his laughter when C3PO became a god, his shock when Leia turned out to be Luke's sister("Hermione's my sister!")(Karen giggled like a maniac), and his frustration when Darth Vader had a hard time choosing Luke over the Emperor("Why did it take so long for him to decide?"). Still awake, they continued to watch more movies, including Pirates of the Caribbean, Last Samurai, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas(in which Harry was awfully disturbed), and last but not least, Peter Pan. It was around 2 in the morning when the two boys left the couch, and Karen and Lisa stretched their legs out to sleep.

"Goodnight, guys," murmured Jamie.

"'Night, Jamie."

"Hey, Karen?"

"Yeah?"

"Did Jamie ever give you that stuff to put on your back?"

"Oh yeah…he did."

"Oh, no worries then."

"Hakuna Matata, Harry."


	19. Are you Gonna be my Girl

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading so and so chapters, this is your captain speaking. Turn off all cellphones and pagers.

Song: Jet - Are you Gonna be my Girl

* * *

Chapter 19. Are you Gonna be my Girl

Cat did not sleep well that night.

The girl was too worried about Karen, Jamie, Harry, and Lisa. She had this dark feeling that maybe they were captured or killed. Run over by a car. Shot by drive-by gangsters. Brainwashed by strange people into believing the world has endured another iceage and they must work without pay to heat their world underground. Kidnapped and raped by various culprits. Kidnapped and shipped to India to work as a slave children. Killed by a murderous racists. Manipulated by Christian extremists. Abducted by aliens, cloned, and sent back down to earth as a younger version. Taken in by a cult, and transfigured into eggplant worshipers and cotton pickers on a farm somewhere in Wyoming. Anything she could remember or have seen on Law & Order or Stargate episodes. Indeed, she was quite scared that any of her theories could be right.

Cat rolled over, not wanting to realize the new day. It was Saturday morning, and she didn't have to get up as early as she did during the school week. She stared intently beyond her nightstand across the bed beside hers, but her mind was elsewhere. She concentrated hard on what had happened. She listed it.

By the time they were two blocks away from the portkey, Skye turned around to ask Karen a question, and she wasn't there. Prof. Dumbledore freaked(in Cat's opinion). He didn't yell or exaggerate. He glanced about them, then hurried them to the portkey, and Cat remembered that Professor Dumbledore informed their previous acquaintance, Mr. Gregory of Harry's and the others' disappearance. The man was dumbstruck and no sooner had Headmaster told him did he disappear in a pop. Then immediately, Professor Dumbledore brought Skye and Cat back to Hogwarts, and he told them to not to worry about the others, that they would be quickly found and brought back to the school. Then he sent them to dinner. She remembered the look on Draco's face when she told him what had happened. The thin smile on his lips frightened her, just a bit. He didn't say anything for the rest of the evening. Cat remembered not liking this and how she didn't kiss him goodnight. Then everything was a sad montage to the song, "Fair" by Remy Zero until she woke up this morning. Now all she knew she had to do was get up.

Cat turned over again and looked at her clock.

8:09 A.M.

Breakfast would be in less than 30 minutes.

Cat sighed and rolled onto her back, still covered in blankets. She didn't want to get up. It was always cold every morning at Hogwarts. She didn't want her finally warm feet touching the hard icy floor.

Cat looked sideways and saw her slippers just next to her bed, and reluctantly slid her legs over the side and tucked her feet into them. Then with much energy, she sat up on the bed, her arms shivering against the cold air. She reached over and grabbed her robe and stood up as she put it on, then made her way to do her daily process of showering, brushing, and dressing.

* * *

Just as she came down the stairs to the floor of the grand hall in her long skirt, robe, and shirt, she stumbled into a looming figure she instantly recognized.

"Li-OOF!"

And fell smack into.

"GYAH!"

They tumbled and fell like a pair of old ladies down a hill, breaking a few hips and canes. They both laid there at the foot of the moving stairs, Lisa on her stomache and Cat on her back. They were both groaning. Cat spotted a giggling Pansy Parkinson drifting awa from the scene with her ally. Cat threw daggers at her and cursed her inaudibly her revenge. Kids chuckled and walked around them with the occasional 1st year walking up and asking if they were okay.

"We're fine, kid; get lost," mumbled Lisa into the white marble. The 1st year slunk away like a wounded animal.

Silence passed between the two, both too tired to get up.

"Good morning, Lisa," greeted Cat, still on her back. Lisa, in t-shirt and plaid pants and on her stomache, mumbled back.

"Hi, Cat."

Pause.

"When did you get back?"

"4:30 this morning."

"Wow, that's early. Are Harry, and Karen, and Jamie back, too?"

"Yeah, they are."

Pause.

"What happened?"

Pause.

"…Um…..Stuff."

* * *

"Harry, your head's in the porridge."

They were sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall at Breakfast and Karen, Harry, Skye were all preparing for the big day for Quidditch tryouts which they all had forgotten about in the great commotion. Luckily, Karen's cup of coffee kept refilling and she the need to drink. Harry, however, hated coffee, and didn't know how he was going to have to keep awake with only pumpkin juice.

Ron and Hermione were still not speaking.

Harry told them the whole story that morning, about the werewolves and their stay with Karen's cousin.

"We didn't go to bed until like two in the morning," yawned Harry. "We were up watching this strange movie about this guy who keeps taking more and more dangerous drugs and Las Vegas."

Ron raised a curious eyebrow, "Las Vegas?"

At that moment, Harry felt a tap at his shoulder. He turned around and it was a girl with long dirty blonde hair and a nervous smile. It was Katie Bell.

"Hi, Harry! I just want you to know that I am trying out for Quidditch Trials for Chaser it's just that I might be a little late. Is that okay?" asked Katie Bell. Harry stared at her, trying to blink the haze out of his eyes so her expression became less blurry. He could see she was serious.

"Of course, but why are you telling me this? Aren't you the new Quidditch Captain?" asked Harry. Katie Bell stared at him.

"No! I thought you were!" exclaimed Katie.

They both stared at each other with blank expressions, then they both got up and went to the teacher's table at the front of the hall.

"Professor McGonagall-" interrupted Harry.

"Excuse me, Mr. Potter, but I'm eating," replied the teacher coldly. Harry closed his mouth. The professor set down her silverware and addressed them. "Now, what is the matter?"

"Professor, which one of us did you assign as Quidditch Captain this year?" asked Katie Bell. Prof. McGonagall gave each of them a startled look.

"Neither of you received the letter?" asked the professor. They shook their heads.

"Well, originally, I assigned it to you, Mr. Potter."

Harry drew a blank. Did he receive a letter? He didn't remember. He only a got a letter for his O.W.Ls. He didn't remember.

"Do you still wish to have the position?" asked Prof. McGonagall. Harry's heart leaped.

"Yes! Of course!"

* * *

When Cat was walked down into the Slytherin common room carrying a knitting bag and looking dressed to go outside, Draco immediately stopped reading his book to look at her. Draco couldn't help but wonder why she was dressed to go out, why she didn't kiss him goodnight last night. Was she mad at him again? What did he do this time?

Was she leaving to meet someone? Another guy?

This hurt specific thought stung Draco's ego, and denial like a blanket sheltered him quickly. No way would she be cheating on him.

Nonetheless, as he saw her head toward the portrait hole, he closed his book on Bayou Voodoo and got up for his chair to stop her.

"Cat!" he said, trying to sound as smooth as possible even though the high of his voice made him sound on edge. "Where you going?"

"Bermuda," said Cat, not skipping a beat. Draco raised a brow, smirking and leaning against the wall. Cat wasn't looking at him. She was busy adjusting the materials in her bag.

"Where you really going?" he asked, trying to sound confident and secure. Cat sighed, stopping what she was doing for a moment and then looked him straight in the eyes.

"I'm going to go watch the Quidditch tryouts. Two of my friends are trying to get on the team," she confessed. She was wearing an unamused expression, like she was tired or expecting something harsh and sharp from Draco.

Draco didn't want to give her that. Was he predictable to her now? He didn't want that, either.

Draco smiled which means his smirk grew wider.

"Great. You can spy on them for us. See who we're up against," he told her. Draco thought she might smile and agree, but she did what he did not expect himself. She rolled her eyes and groaned, walking through the portrait hole and slaming the door behind him.

Draco was now leaning against the wall with a smirk for no apparent reason.

"Fuck."

* * *

"I think it would've been funnier if it was Karen who ended up being Quidditch captain," laughed Ron, unsually attempting to hide his nervous gulps for air.

Harry could not laugh. He was too swamped and stressed now to laugh. He was excited, of course, to be recently "crowned" Quidditch Captain, but now he had to pick out members of the Quidditch team and he wasn't all that sure where to begin! He had to find out how to test them, what qualifications were needed, and whether or not to just let them ALL on.

Harry knew the last one was impossible.

Harry drew onto the Quidditch field, noticing a rather large crowd had turned up for tryouts. When they saw him they waved and came to greet him. Harry felt like running, but he wasn't sure where or who to run to.

Harry grabbed Ron by the arm. Hermione was peaked with interest by Harry's deer-caught-in-head-lights look.

"Harry?"

"Make a distraction," he said to Ron without ever looking at him, and as he slowly backed off, he turned around and just as he was about to make a run for it, he met eyes with an excited Skye.

"Hi, Harry!" greeted Skye rather Colin Creevy like. This startled Harry so much he let out a shout.

"AHH!"

And tripping over his own robe, he fell over.

Thus began the Quidditch tryouts.

* * *

"Hi, Cat!"

Jamie patted Cat on the shoulder to let her know he was there. She was busy sketching away at another picture of two males kissing or maybe they were two females? She wasn't so sure, It was only the heads and not enough room for lower body parts.

"What'cha drawing?" asked Jamie, peering over her shoulder as soon as he sat down beside her on the bench.

"People."

"Oh," said Jamie, and went back to watching the practice. He was wearing a jacket with the hood over his head, and he seemed to be a bit uncomfortable just sitting there as he soon gained a constant taping with his feet. Cat soon noticed it.

"Jamie, are you okay?" asked Cat.

"I'm fine. You know….you know!" he excused, waving his hand in a laundry-machine-on- tumble motion. Cat furrowed her brows, confused, but just shrugged and went back to drawing.

"Hey, they're starting!" exclaimed Jamie. "Oh, man, I hope they get in. All that work would be gone to waste if they don't get in…"

* * *

"Alright, now that the fan base is gone-" a hum of giggle escaped the now thinned out crowd "-everyone who is trying out for chaser come forward; you guys are first."

And so they did, Katie Bell, Ginny, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, and a girl and a boy Harry didn't know, emerged from the crowd into a throng of teenagers in front of him. Harry felt somewhat better. Ginny was trying out for chaser, and Harry was Quidditch captain so there was no problem with positions.

They went around the ring, fast as possible, throwing the ball to each other. Ginny made several goals, Katies made the highest, Dean made one more goal than Seamus, the girl, Scarlet, made one more goal than dean, and the boy was too young to keep up.

"Alright, stick around, I'll give out the results just after the positions are auditioned for," he explained rather successfully as he jotted down notes on a piece of parchment he borrowed from Hermione. It was clear, though, who he was to pick.

"Okay, next is….beaters," said Harry after jotting down the last note. "Would thoes trying out for the Beaters positions come forward, please?"

And just as Harry expected, both Karen and Skye jumped out of the now diminished crowd along with four other boys. The boys were looking over at Skye and Karen smiling with chavinist ego. But Skye and Karen stood tall, Skye excited, Karen nervous.

"Right, okay, I guess simple thing is, fly into the air and beat the bludgers away or at enemies, not at those on the ground. There's only two, so for the ones who beat the bludgers the farthest away and the most times are the best results. Ready?" this was Harry's least favorite part as he knelt down to unlauch the bludgers. Skye and Karen and the rest of the auditioning students got onto their brooms.

"GO!"

Harry let them loose and the large iron balls flew into the air immediately, one going straight for Skye's head. On instant, Skye, beat it back, shooting straight back down into the box.

The bludgers flew around them into the sky, and the sight was as amazing as the racing chasers. The girls were beating those bludgers like they were pongo balls. Ron and Harry waere baffled by how quick they were, how strong they could hit. As Cat and Jamie watchined from their seats at the bleachers, they watched in a gleefull amazement as Skye and Karen started hitting them at each other like a game of tennis. The boys made contacts sometimes with the twin bludgers, but the girls were the ones in control of the games.

Yes, Harry, had to admit it, with not any relunctance at all, the girls were good.

"That's enough!" called out Harry. "Come down now!"

Those auditioning flew down from the sky, and soon following, the bludgers as well. One at a time, they flew straight at Harry, and Harry braced for the impact at each one, grabbing the ball and forcefully trying to put it back in it's prison.

"Well," said Harry, exhaling, "that was great, um, don't go back to the castle just yet. Wait until the keepers are done, and the results for the beaters will be given afterwards."

* * *

"Who-hoo, yeah, baby, drinks all 'round! We were awesome!" exclaimed Skye, giving "high five" to Karen. Karen returned it nervously.

"We did okay," she said. Skye grabbed Karens hand and they began walking hand and hand toward Jamie and Cat who galloped to greet them. Cat jumped into Skye's arms after she let go and Jamie engulfed Karen is a back-breaking embrace.

"You guys were AWESOME!" squealed Cat, grinning into Skye's shoulder.

"I KNOOOOOW!" squealed Skye in return, lowering her and jumping up and down with her.

"PIMPIN', GIRL!" echoed Jamie, blowing Karen's ears out.

"Ow."

Jamie let go and apologized. Karen asked what he said. Jamie yelled louder. Karen hit him for yelling at her and then there was peace. But not before Jamie and Karen got into a fight involving slapping and a string of "iiyah"s. Finally, after much insane struggle, they sat down.

"You guys were great," complimented Cat, lastly as she went back to sketching.

"Yeah, you were crazy," said Jamie.

"We were crazy/great," confirmed Skye, stroking back her sweat beaded hair.

"We sucked."

The comment came from a shadowy, dying figure a few feet away, crouched and miserable in the form of Karen.

"Oh, shut up, Karen," remarked Cat. "You guys were too awesome, and you know it. Right, Skye?"

Skye was in a state of wide eyes and a cloud stricken face.

"What if we did suck…?"

"You guys didn't suck," said Jamie, patting Skye on the back. Then he slid down to Karen and knocked her off her seat. Karen's retaliation resulted in sittting back on the bench and mulling over the performance once more.

"Oooookaaaaay, right," adjusted Skye, then turned to Cat with an eager smile, "by the way, when is your guys' tryouts?"

"Siiiigh, next weekend! And I don't know. I'm kind of having second thoughts on the whole thing," confessed Cat as she went back to stretching the hairs in the mane of the girl she was drawing.

"Don't kid yourself," said Skye. "You know you want to join the team. You just don't want to cheat your way in."

"Actually, I really don't mind that part, it's just that…. You know, Draco is on the team, and I don't know, he might be like super hard on me," explained Cat.

"He can't be hard on you; you're his girlfriend," said Skye. Then a sneaky grin crept across her face. "Well, actually, he can…"

"Shut up, SKYE!" shrieked Cat, smiling and laughing, too as she smacked Skye across the head in a friendly manner.

As Skye and Cat giggled and gossiped over Draco and other sexually related things(Skye sometimes making a face of disgust or plugging up her ears and singing to herself), Karen looked over at Jamie who was staring at the top of his shoes with a sad intensity. She noticed how he had nothing to say. She scooted over and peered under his hanging head with curious eyes.

"Jaime. I have a dumb question," she told him.

"Proceed, fair maiden," he carefully joked.

"Are you okay?"

Jamie lifted a hand, gloved, and patted Karen's back with reassurance.

"I'm fine, don't worry," he said.

"You wanna go back inside. You don't have to come out here, you know. It's just tryouts, and it's almost over," said Karen, not really trying to persuade, just throwing details out there for him to pick up, if he so desired.

"Nah," said Jamie, shaking his head and smiling quietly like he always did. "Besides," he said, poking Karen, "Poke."

Karen screamed.

"AHHHHHHH!"


	20. Kids With Guns

Author's Note:

SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP? ohyeah, i finally updated. i feel so acomplished. not 'cause of all the homework I DIDN'T DO, but because i finally updated. booya. Anyway. Disclaimer, i don't own HP, duh, and thanks again for reading chapters 1-19. Here is Chapter 20.

Song: Gorillaz - Kids With Guns

* * *

Chapter 20. KidsWith Guns

Hermione watched as one by one, the applicants tried keeping goals, catching quaffles or knocking them back. She sat with a book in her lap, quietly reading the paragraph in front of her, attempting to concentrate but in hopeless attempt. Her eyes were distracted by the performance of the keepers. She was worried. The keepers were good. Would Ron be better than all of them? Then again, what did she have to worry about? This was Harry.

Finally, Harry came down to sit beside Hermione, his head hung depressingly and his elbows resting on his knees.

"Hermione, you have any spare parchment?" he asked.

"No, not really," she replied. Harry sighed, and the leaned back against the wall and stared into the sky, moving his mouth as if appearing to make calculations in his head. Hermione wondered if perhaps he was trying to figure out how many goals were made.

"Something wrong, Harry?" she asked anyway.

"I'm trying to figure out some things," he said. "Can't tell you."

Hermione couldn't tell if she should be surprised or not. Then Harry began darting his finger in the air as if drawing strategies. Hermione wondered if she should insinuate.

"Ron is very good," said Hermione, going back to her book.

"Yeah, he is. But Katie Bell said that if I pick people just 'cause they're friends won't make a good team," he explained, still attempting to figure it out.

Then there was a scream.

Maybe it was an accident, maybe it was instinct, but Harry shot out of his seat and dashed to where he saw a rolling carcass.

Karen was rolling on the ground , grabbing her arm and wailing. Harry came to her side.

"Karen! What happened, you okay!"

Jamie grimaced. "Oh, she's okay, she's just playing." Jamie nudge Karen with his foot. And Karen kicked him back.

"Shush, I'm playing seizure, stop-"

And that's when Harry began shaking her.

"DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT, YOU CRAZY BITCH!"  
After a few five shakes, Karen grabbed his shoulders for him to stop.

"Wait, did I scare you?" she asked. Harry stared at her. "Does this mean you were worried about me?"

There was a pause of him just holding her off the ground and Harry just staring down at her, putting two and two together. It took a girly comment to break it.

"Aw, it's a shojo moment," snickered Skye, pointing at them. Harry's face broke into an unamused expression and dropped Karen. He had no idea what Skye meant by "shojo" but her saying anything about them had to be nothing less of scandalous.

"I'm going back to think," he muttered, and stomped back to the bench where Hermione was trying to stifle laughter.

* * *

"School is dreadful, as always." 

The man moved his pawn.

"Dumbledore's still in office, I suppose."

The boy sat there thinking, chin resting on a hand.

"Yes, he is, father. The man is unbearably man-loving as ever."

The boy moved his pawn.

"How comforting, Draco."

The man's knight moved and sliced right through his son's pawn.

"Tis the truth, father. He is as old as ever, and yet how he somehow manages to get around, up, and down the stairs without a cane."

The boy ran a hand through his hair, in an attempt to summon more tactic brains.

"Sometimes, I fear he may be just immortal, father-"

"The man can die, Draco; the man can die."

The boy was silent, then moved his knight forward.

"Father. Why did you first join him?"

The man studied his postion, his battle plan.

"This is not the place nor the time to discuss such a thing."

The man thought some more.

"When you are older."

The man moved his bishop. It defeated the knight.

"Father, are still serious about what you said earlier?"

The man looked up at him, surprised.

"About you dating? Now? Why, yes, Draco, I'm all too serious. It is too dangerous of a time to be dating now. There are bigger things at hand than idle relationships with women your age."

The boy darted his eyes to his face to the chessboard, and he moved his king and it conquered the bishop with ease but insecurity.

* * *

"A toast to the girls!" 

Jamie, Cat, Harry, and the star girls, Skye and Karen, were sitting around a table raising their glasses into the air. They were sitting in the common room, celebrating the girls' success, and celebrating the first girl beaters ever. Jamie was all too excited. Cat was happy for them, and Harry joined her in this happiness. Skye and Karen were all too overjoyed, that it was getting to their heads.

"A toast to us: the most bad ass, sexiest girls around!" raised Skye in cheer.

"To us! The biggest, baddest beaters in town!" sang Karen, all of her insecurity gone. Cat glared at both of them and started lowering her glass.

"Ahaha, no toast for you two pig-heads."

"What!"

"Noooooooooes!"

Harry laughed and so did Jamie. Against much of Cat's relunctance, they clinked glasses, and drank. They ate cauldron cakes, and played a game of cards to celebrate. Of course, Cat, Jamie, and Skye joined in chorus in the suggestion to play "strip poker" but both Harry and Karen said no.

So they played gold fish.

"Do you have any sixes?"

"…what kind?"

"What kind?"

"Red, black, spades, clovers…"

"Blue stars?"

"….I've got a six of hearts; deal with it."

And the black jack.

"21!"

"17!"

"30!"

"….Skye, you can't have 30."

And then Texas Hold'em poker.

"….My dad would kill me if he saw me right now."

"What are you talking about, you're winning!"

"I know."

"…"

"Skye, you've been winning the last four times. Either this is beginner's luck extreme, or you liiiiiiied like a mattress."

"….I'm gonna go see what Lisa's up to, who's with me!"

"AYE! AVAST!"

* * *

PLOP. 

The girl known as Lisa with almond eyes and dark black hair plopped herself onto her bed with a stack of books. She flipped through the pages, scanning images of deformed bodies and chaotic, mysterious reactions and bold print of words she should know or learn.

"Do you need help studying, Lisa?" said a familiar voice. Lisa didn't look up, but she knew who it was.

"No."

"Yes."

"Maybe."

"….ARGH!" Lisa tossed her books into the air. "Potions is so confusing, Rachel! It's like Chemistry! ONLY WOOOOOORSE!"

"Yeesh, let me help."

A girl with long brown hair bent down and picked up a fallen book and sat on the bed next to her. She was dressed in jeans a long sleeve t-shirt, and she looked like her mind was somewhere else, but kind and gentle.

"Where are you?" she asked.

"Unnnn….like chapter 5," mumbled Lisa, resting her head on an arm.

"Chapter 5? We're already on Chapter 7! What happened?"

Lisa sighed and buried her head into the covers.

"I don't knooooooooow! I guess I've been pushing myself too hard for getting keeper on the Ravenclaw team, I forgot all about potions…." Lisa muffled. "I'm sooooo dead. I'm never gonna pass that test on Monday."

Rachel felt sorry for her and patted her head.

"Aww…Don't worry. Here," Rachel set the book down in front of her, and Lisa lifted her head to look. She adjusted her glasses to see. "If you just read these nine pages and do these problems…you'll be set. 'Kay?

Lisa grimaced. "Okay."

Rachel smiled. "Great. See you later."

When Rachel left, Lisa sighed and attempted to study hard. But as she was studying, her mind began drifting far away.

What was that all about, the werewolves in New York City? They weren't there two years ago, when she visited on a school field trip. And how was Dumbledore able to find them? And the body at the bottom of the Quidditch field, what was it doing there? And the body found in Mr. Firenze's room? What was with this school?

"All this weird Sherlock Holmes stuff is all too spooky for me," muttered Lisa to herself. And she went back to studying. But soon it became all too overwhelming, and her thoughts led her back to the macabre.

"Okay, I don't think a school is supposed to have dead bodies lying about, even if it is a magical school and there are a bunch of ghosts around and stuff, but ANYWAY! So that must mean something fishy is going on here. And although, I've never see the body found in Mr. Firenze room, I'm sure it was still fresh. I mean, they found a SOLID eyeball!" recalled Lisa, making the notes in the notebook she pulled out somewhere in the middle of studying. "Wait, are eyeballs, solid? Well, duh, Lisa, they're not a gas!"

"….so then if there's a fresh dead body…there's either been horrible accident no one knew about or….there's a murderer around here," said Lisa to herself. "Which is really freaking scary. I don't want to think about that. But the body we found under the Quidditch field! That was rotting! And buried so deep! It must've been there for over fifty years! And a buried body without a tombstone must mean….ANOTHER MURDER!"

KNOCKNOCK!

* * *

And then Harry introduced Karen to game called Wizard's Chess. 

"What the feezy? I don't even know how to play plain chess," remarked Karen.

"What?" Harry was surprised. Karen sat across from Harry while the girls decided to see what Lisa was doing. Jamie was on the couch, playing with one of Karen's books from her home country.

"All I can remember is that a Knight moves in the letter W." said Karen. Harry stared at her and then laughed real hard.

"A Knight moves in the letter L! Not W!" laughed Harry. Karen blushed bright red from embarrassment.

"Whatever," she mumbled, and began setting up the pieces.

"Do you want black or white?" he asked, as he picked up a black bishop. She bit her lip.

"…..black," said Karen, picking up the black pieces, and setting them up. Harry picked up the white pieces and began setting them up on his side of the board, but when he was done, he looked over the table and noticed something was wrong.

"No, no, no, you've set it up wrong, here…" Harry took over the job and began rearranging the pieces.

"Hey, whatever happened to the happy couple?" asked Karen.

"Huh? Oh, Ron and Hermione?" renamed Harry as he moved the pawns in front. "Well, Ron went down to detention, and Hermione went to go study."

"Alone?"

"Alone."

"Alooooone. All alone!" and Karen began singing really strangely that Harry had to stop moving the players around to stare at her. She soon faded away from singing when she noticed Harry's weird look.

"What?"

* * *

"Lisa?" 

"WHAT- ach, cough - what?" she readjusted her voice from a scream to an inside voice.

"Lisa, there are some Gryffindors and a Slytherin outside to see you, girl," said a voice.

Intrigued by the thought of her friends coming to see her, Lisa lost all thought of the mystery she was discovering, gleefully leaped from the bed and ran out of the room with the messenger throwing herself up against the wall to get out of the girl's path.

* * *

"I remember that comic you drew! The one where Tealc goes all 'this is a cause for celebration!' 'Cake?'" 

Skye laughter could be hear everywhere, and Cat giggling along with her. They were waiting outside a suspicious looking portrait who kept eyeing them….suspiciously.

"What's this? A Gryffindor and a Slytherin? Talking…and giggling?" asked the portrait of the harpy goddess.

"Aw, shut up, chicken bird," scoffed Skye with a confident smile. "We've always been friends."

"Yeah," agree Cat, "Nothing has changed."

Harpy leaned in and peered curiously at them, still gasping her vase and sheet around her frame as to not flash any private parts of her.

"Ah, but things are different now, aren't they?" asked the Harpy Goddess. "You say things have not changed, and yet there lies a crack a between you. It is growing, now, even as we speak, and it's trench potential is deep. That is if you feed it: the badges you wear upon your breasts."

As she spoke these things the could not see, both girls thought of everything they shared together from the day they first met to the recent giggle they just shared. They thought about their houses. And when the Harpy Goddess was done, they quickly concluded, perhaps in denial, that the painting was certainly wrong.

"Puh sha," scoffed Skye, leaning back against the stair, white marble railing. "Before we ever came to this place, we were good friends, and here, we shall remain as good friends."

"Forever, yo," said Cat busting a move.

Creeeek.

"Oh! Pardon me!" went the startled portrait.

Lisa popped her head out and smiled with a cat like grin.

"KonNIIIIICHIWA!" greeted the cat face girl, and she hopped out of the portrait hole, quickly shut the painting behind her.

"Oof!" the Harpy goddess fell off her pedestal. Cat giggled; Lisa got down to business.

"So guys, was sup?" Lisa started playing with the sleeves of her oversized shirt.Cat shrugged.

"Nothing special," said Cat all too soon.

"Nothing special?" shrieked Skye in horror, and then she turned around and grabbed Lisa by the shoulders. "Lisa, we totally got on the Gryffindor Team!"

"….as…?"

"Broomsticks-" but in a witty Cat.

"No!" snapped Skye, but Lisa was already shaking to force back the giggles. "Lisa, stop that."

"Snort…okay!" choked out Lisa. Skye rolled her eyes as Cat looked down froom the stairs. Her eye caught something, but Skye, who nothing of it, struck a pose.

"You're looking at the first official girl beater since…." and then her proud tone started to falter.

Cat gazed down at the figure below, attempting to figure out why she was so familiar. .

"….Medieval times?" suggested Lisa, still smiling.

A girl with long flowing blonde hair and in periwinkle robes was floating across the floor holding books in her arms.

"No, farther back."

Cat continued to watch her, beginning to feel creeped out about how eerie like the girl moved. But then she dropped her books in a clutzy manner, and the feeling was soon gone.

"Stone Henge?"

The girl gave a faint cry of agony and despair. Cat wondered if she should run down the stair cases to go help her.

"No, since dinosaurs ruled the earth."

Cat accidentally pushed over her pen she had set down on the railing, and it made a noise as it hit one of the moving staircase. Cat took a step back. Oddly enough, the girl heard it and as she looked up, and as soon as Cat's and her eyes met, both of them simultaneously screamed in fan girlish glee.

"Hogwarts taught dinosaurs?"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

And nothing could be compared as to the speed and joy as the girls raced up and down the staircase to race into each other arms.

"Holy CRAP!" yelped Lisa after jumping three feet into the air at the ultrasonic boom of their cry.

"GEEZ! What was that al - FRANKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE!"

And Skye went off in the same direction in the same hyper-happiness drive. And Lisa soon followed, however not as loudly.

The girls went bounding down the stairs as Frankie, the girl with flowing blonde hair and in glasses went running up the steps. However, the strangely enough went past each other.

"Wha!"

The girls went confused, and the trio started bounding up the stairs as Frankie started bounding down the stairs. And they met each other in the middel, ten feet of open space between them.

The Hogwarts stair cases were more confusing than King Jareths in the Labrynth. It was all too complex, that finally, after much running and manuevering, the girls finally met up with the blond haired girl and promptly, in a hug, toppled over her.

"ACH!"

And thus was the glorious rendezvous of the American females.


	21. Modern Art Gallery

Author's Note:

such such, thanks, forgive me if i am informal. I admit; I've never played chess before in my life. so if some things seem...incomprehensiblein games of chess, it is entirely my fault and no fault of your own. This is new band i like, and one of their songs i truly appreciate. (:

Song: Cheese On Bread - Modern Art Gallery

* * *

Chapter 21. ModernArtGallery

KerTHUD.

The girls and their prize gasped and breathed deep in a great pile.

"'Ello, Frankiiiiieee," sighed Lisa.

"Hiiii, Lisa!" exasperated a chipper looking Frankie. Cat, Skye, and Lisa finally got the enough energy to get off their beloved, long lost friend and sit among the steps. They're first words were -

"WHEN DID YOU GET TO BE SO COOL!"

Then complete silence smiling at each other, then yelling again. Sporadically their words collided in a big mess of compliments, and gestures, and gesticulations, and squeals, and general girliness until someone stumbled upon them.

"Well this is suspicious," said a dark, melancholic voice. Above their head appeared the unhappy face of an unhappy man.

"Oh, Professor Snape!" exclaimed Cat surprised. The man was dressed in the usual black attire, but wearing a black scarf and seemed to have been outside. Skye rolled her eyes, and Frankie was startled.

"Oh, Excuse me!" exclaimed the fair maden, Frankie, and she jumped up, and pulled out a folded piece of paper, rather hastily. She unfolded it. "Um, sir, Hello, my name is Francis Faden, and I'm -"

The rather annoyed man snatched the paper from her hands and examined the letter's calligraphy.

"I'm from the University of Magic, you see, and my major is Potions, and well, I -"

"Carry on," he hurried.

"Well…in order to gain title to teach we're required to spend six months as a Teacher Assistant at a designated Witchcraft and Wizardy school and…"

Professor Snape raised a brow, "Yes?"

"…They've assigned me to you."

* * *

"Do you know the Gorrilaz?" asked Karen.

They were already well into tutorial. Harry was instructing her on how the last piece moved.

"I don't know what you mean. The species?" he asked. "Now, see it moves diagonally, see?"

"No, I mean, the band. They're a cool band," she said. "Yuh-huh."

"Good, you're all set. Any questions?" he asked. "An American band?"

"Uh, what's the queen do?" she asked. "I dunno."

"Um…."

"You should listen to them. I think you'd like them!" said Karen with a smile. Harry looked up at her from the chess board. She was smiling so warmly. Was it the lingering high of victory, or something new?

"So what's the queen do again?" she asked, her smile fading away like butter in Sahara sun.

"Um…"

Harry explained the queens role and other questions she had. While he explained his mind was elsewhere, and he could tell hers was there too.

It was the place where suns had stopped for them. It was a place where surroundings were all a blur of an impressionist's painting, where they had the round thing, time, in the palm of their hand. It was a place where they didn't have to care for the frivolous things of grades and money. It, indeed, seemed like an imaginary place they both missed.

"Harry, do you ever wish your family had lived?"

Harry looked up at her from the chessboard.

"What kind of question is that? Of course I wish my parents had lived."

"What do you want out of life?"

"I don't know… never thought about that. Just to live, I guess."

"When did you first meet Voldemort?"

"Uh, at the end of my first year."

"When is your first birthday?"

"July 31."

"What's your favorite color?"

"Red."

"Who was your first kiss?"

"Cho Chang."

And Harry fell out of his chair.

"Harry! You fell out of your chair!" exclaimed Karen, pointing at him.

"I KNOW THAT!" he shouted in response quickly getting up and setting his chair back up. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"Gravity?"

"No, Karen! The question! 'Who was my first-" and then he glanced around at the other few Gryffindors in the room, and in a lower voice, he finished, "Who was my first kiss?'"

"Good question," she responded.

"No, bad question!"

"No, I meant, that's a good question. 'Where did it come from?' I don't know. I was thinking about it. It's better to say what is on your mind than what is not."

"Then again, some things are better left unsaid."

"….Honesty is the best policy."

"Children are better seen than heard."

"Freedom of speech."

"Even a fool can seem wise if he is the fool who holds his tongue."

"…now you're just making shit up."

* * *

Ron was swabbing a deck.

Ron could not believe he was swabbing decks on board a mother load of a ship. He did not know how got to be in the lake, how it managed to be unmolested by the lake monster, or for what purpose it was here for, all he knew was that he had to swab as much as possible as quickly as possible so he would no longer endure the cries of mad man by the name of Captain Earwiskers Filch who had recently rediscovered his childhood dream of becoming a pirate wizard.

"YOU SCURVY DOGS! PUT YOUR BACKS INTO! NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I SEEN SUCH A PAMBY-WAMBY, NO-GUTS SCALLYWAGS IN ALL MY LIFE! ARR!"

Indeed, Ron was not alone in this misery, he was accompanied by Seamus who was caught with Weasley wheezes amongst sort and Zabini who was found cheating during a test. Yes, they all endured the strange torture of ship crew work and Filch's dreadful pirate singing and eye patch.

"Mr. Filch," interrupted Ron, and Mr. Filch stopped singing. "Can we go back to the dorms now?"

Mr. Filch eyed him suspiciously

"Arr, have ye swabbed the decks?"

"Yes."

"Cleaned the cabins"  
"Yes."

"Scrubbed the bathroom floors."

"Yes."

"The toilets."

Ron gave a shiver. "Yes."

"Ovens?"

"Clean."

"The windows?"

"Spotless."

"The Sails?"

"Done."

"The bow?"

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes, YES!" cried out Seamus. "We have scrubbed and washed and cleaned every nook and crany of this ship! Now! Can we go back, Mr. Filch?"

Mr. Filch narrowed his eyes and with one coat hanged hoot clenched in his right fist he reached out and hooked himself and Seamus, bringing him eye to eye.

"Mr. Whoooo?" questioned the red eyed Earwiskers Filch.

"Ear- Ear wiskers. Excuse me! Cap-CAPTAIN Earwiskers Filch!" studdered Seamus. A thing smile grew upon his lips, and he let go of the poor boy with great happiness(if that could be done). He put his left hand to his chin and gazed thoughtfully to the sunset sky.

"Hmm…Have you cleaned the mermaid, then?" asked the pirate. They all raised a brow at this.

"The what sit?" was Zabini's reaction.

"Our fair maiden, the mermaid in front of the ship, how dare you call this ship clean if it's lady is covered in filth!" declared Mr. Filch. Ron was fed up. He threw his mop to the ground.

"Bloody hell! How're we even supposed to get to the bloody statue!" shouted Ron.

For once, Mr. Filch had not a quick response. But he did come to a conclusion.

"I don't know, Weasely, but since you've found the predicament, you fix it. The rest of us will head back to the castle," said Mr. Filch, finally taking off the eye patch and Pirate's hat. Ron was stunned.

"What the bloody-"

"AND IF I FIND THAT LADY UNCLEAN WHEN I COME BACK YOU'LL FIND YOURSELF AWFUL FOR A WEEK, YOU HEAR ME WEASELY!"

Ron gritted his teeth, his shoulders sprang like a cat's and his fists clenched in tense ferocity.

Oh, what he would give to sock that teacher one!

* * *

Albus Dumbledore was a quiet man, in the literal sense of the word. He liked his tea, loved his biscuits, but over all preferred cauldron cakes and acid pops. But recently, it seemed he could not enjoy his tea. It was rather suspicious of him, and whenever he made tea, one thing would lead to another and it would end as a brown puddle on the floor. He had not had tea in days. And recently, it seemed he could not enjoy his biscuits. He was rather suspicious of them. Unexpectedly, a biscuit tried to kill him as he swallowed it. Luckily, Minerva was there to pat him on the back however hard it was and the biscuit was defeat.

Yes, for a while now, Prof. Dumbledore had gained a love and hate relationship with tea time, and thus it did not surprised him in the least when his two less likable company joined forces.

Professor Dumbledore was just pouring himself a cup of tea using magic while wearing ear muffs, an apron, and goggles when the door flew open.

"HEADMASTER, THIS IS HERESY!"

And in marched Prof. Snape in the worst mood Prof. Dumbledore had seen him since he fell asleep in that barbershop in Italy again.

At that precise moment, Professor Dumbledore's biscuits spontaneous combusted and the teacup that was filling itself with nice hot tea exploded like a miniature atomic bomb.

Professor Dumbledore stared at the mini mushroom puff of smoke rising from his cup. He waved away the smoke and grabbed his tea cup looking hard into it. Nothing but a black stain of what was once tea. Dumbledore was so heartbroken of his tea, he forgot about his floating, burning biscuits.

"HEADMASTER, I DO NOT NEED AN ASSISSTANT!" shouted Prof. Snape, slamming Frankie's unfolded paper on his desk.

"Uh, Headmaster, your biscuits," added Lisa. The girls, including Frankie, had followed his march in pure curiosity and in their friend's support.

Prof. Dumbledore had a double take before he leaped into action, quickly withdrawing his wand, pointing and muttering a spell. The biscuits were out, and fell as charcoal to the desk, spreading black crumbs and crumbling parts. Prof. Dumbledore was saddened, but he addressed Prof. Snape's problem immediately.

"What?"

"I do not require a TEACHER'S ASSISSTANT!" declared Prof. Snape. "Why have I been assigned one! When did the Governors discussed this! Ho! Why wasn't I notified earlier!

Albus Dumbledore took off the goggles and adjusted the spectacles on his nose, picking up the paper gently and studying it.

"Well, Severus, this is the first I've heard of it, and rest assured, I do believe you when you say you do not need a T.A. Unfortunately, I do believe it is irreversible. When did the governors discussed this and why you weren't notified earlier, I do not know," Headmaster Dumbledore addressed Prof. Snape. He then looked to Frankie who stood embarrassed beside me.

"Excuse me," began Dumbledore. "are you Professor Snape's Teacher Assisstant?"

Frankie looked at him and nodded numbly. Prof. Dumbledore stood up, reaching out his hand to her, and Prof. Snap rolled his eyes.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Albus Dumbledore, and I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts," the headmaster introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Francis Faden," greeted Frankie.

"I imagine your major must be in Potions? Well, not to worry. Professor Snape will be a fine teacher for you to emulate. His skills in Potions well do exceed even the greatest of concocters," said Headmaster Dumbledore, and then he addressed Prof. Snape again. "Take good care of her, she now under your wing, Severus. Under your wing."

Snape glanced at him oddly, confused and unhappy.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to make one more attempt at tea time…"

With that said, the party left Prof. Dumbledore's office, and just as the gargoyle resumed it's post, Prof. Snape turned to his assisstant and gave her a welcoming speech.

"First and foremost, if you are going to be my asisstant, you must do every single thing I tell you. Second, you are not allowed to go into my personal shop of supplies without my permission. Third, you are not allowed, by any means, to retract or give out assignments I have not given permission to retract or give out, and Fourth, you are to address me as Professor," he informed her. "Understand?"

Frankie grinned so brightly and cheerfully with a peace sign, it clashed with the Potions master's overwhelming darkness.

"Okiedokie, Professor!" exclaimed Frankie, and as Frankie dashed to her little friends who had backed away from Snapes once-conquering darkness to tell them the good news, the Professor had an eerie feeling that his mornings were about to get unbearable.

* * *

"…Why did you ask the question?" asked Harry, once more. He moved his pawn.

"It's a secret," she replied, she moved her knight. Her knight knocked the pawn down. Harry gave her an annoyed look of displeasure.

"Yeah right," replied Harry, he moved his knight, and it trumped one of her pawns. "You don't even know why yourself, do you?"

Karen bit her lip bitterly, examining the pieces. She moved her bishop, and responded in the same tone, " Fine, so I was just thinking about it, okay? You a happy Harry, now?"

Harry, quite not satisfied and ignoring the bitter addition of "Happy Harry," read the chess board as if it held more answers than she had supplied. He moved his bishop as well.

"Why were you thinking about it?" asked Harry, looking up at her as soon as he moved the soldier.

Karen didn't look at him, watching the pieces instead.

"I don't know. I was remembering the kiss that one time at the table, that's all," she said, moving her knight, that sliced through another pawn. Harry felt something inside of him like the fluttering of icles on fire. It was quiet strange and he didn't know what it was doing there.

There was silence between them as Harry was deciding which piece to move. Their faces were both red with something. Embarrassment, maybe. Desire. Or maybe just from the heat of the fire they sat so close to.

Just as Karen was feeling she should leave, Harry decided to move.

"…I was thinking about it, too," said Harry softly, looking up at her. Karen stared at him, and by some weird magic no one could quite put a finger on, their faces came closer, their lips were slowly drawn together and kiss was made by some romantic books phrase, "the light of the fire."

* * *

"I can't believe the left me to clean this…this…lady-person-thing!"

Ron was sitting sideways on a broomstick had had found on deck in front of the ship with floating bucket of soapy water and a sponge. He glared at his job with great discouragement. He wasn't sure how he was going to go around cleaning such a thing. It was wooden, splintering, and covered in fungus and seacrud. Infact, it looked more like a sea hag than a ship goddess.

Nonetheless.

At least Ron tried.

Ron took out the sponge and began lathering up the statue in a grumbling way, scrubbing hard across the shoulders and hair. He was rather insecure about scrubbing the other parts, so he didn't.

As he scrubbed away the filth from the poor neglected woman's face, he started to notice how beautiful the face was. How delicate. How pristine. How much she reminded him of a girl he knew.

Inspired, in a strange to put it, Ron proceeded to take his job more carefully as if handling a china doll instead of a block of wood. He took great care of the eyes, the nose, the ears, the lips, making sure every nook and cranny was clean. He made sure that her face was spotless and beautiful. And as he grew more confident, he washed away the dirt imbedded in the ridges in her wooden, wavy hair, and he scraped away her fungus and her mildew from her body.

When Ron was done polishing her, he took a step back(so to speak), and smiled at his good work.

"Now, that's better," he said to himself, admiring hard work.

And suddenly, and unexpectedly, in a flash he never expected, the ship goddess smiled back at him.

"Good job," she declared.

* * *

Hermione could see the strange ship from her window, and for the past hour and a half she had been watching Ron, pretending there was no interest in it and that she had nothing better to do. She had been watching him clean the ship goddess, his gentle care and precision, that she sighed with much longing she did not understand. And as she watched him move back on the broom, presuming he was attempting to look at it in a better view, she realized Ron had gone as rigid as pole. Now this really had sparked her interest, and Hermione picked up Lavender's binoculars from where they usually laid beside the window sil, and looked through them.

The wooden woman who Ron had so diligently cleaned withdrew her arms from the ships front with cracking sounds Hermione could not hear but imagined would make, and in a alarming forward motion, she gently took Ron's startled expression in her hands, her lips moving at first and then landing on his.

This became a frightfully, famous kiss.


	22. TheNurse

Author's Note: 

Hi, thanks for reading, waiting so long, and reading it at all. I kinda liked this song. Here's chapter 22.

Song: White Stripes - The Nurse

* * *

Chapter 22. The Nurse 

And the two probably would've kissed if a certain house elf had not snapped out of thin air.

"SURPRISE!" shouted a knitted-clothing endorsed elf scattering chess pieces everywhere as he appeared on the board. Karen was so startled, she scrambled so far back that she and the chair both fell over Harry flew away from kissing Dobby's hat upon hat upon hat.

Dobby tipped his hat-upon-hat-upon-hat and gave a bow. "Greetings, Harry Potter!"

"Oh great. The voices have back. The world is tipsy again," said a fallen Karen.

Harry Potter let own a groan and walked over to help a fallen Karen. "Oh, hi, Dobby."

"Uaaaaaagh," moaned Karen, and then taking one look at Dobby and squeezed Harry's hand even tighter. "Holy St. Francis."

"Greeting's Harry Potter's friend!" And he gave another tip and bow, but this time his hats became a big mess on the rug.

"SCRAMBLE!" and Karen dove for a hat. Dobby snapped his fingers, and they were all flew in reverse, back on his head. Karen hit the floor with a thud.

THUD.

Harry would be lying if he said he was not ashamed.

"Harry Potter's friend! Are you alright!" asked a blinking, concerned Dobby.

"I'm good," said a Karen sitting up. "Who you be-ith?"

"I am Dobby, the ex-house elf."

"What's a house what?"

Dobby stared at her not blinking and then went off crying into the night.

It was quite weird.

* * *

"How many days until Christmas?" 

"Two months and 25 days some-odd."

This was something Lisa did not expect in the least.

As she stood there, staring at her blonde haired, four eyed friend laugh and blabber on about how she was so happy she was being a T.A. with all her old friends again, and how miserable and dangerous life on campus of a magical university was, and that was she was hungry for some fried chicken.

"Do they make chicken here? SOUTHE'N STYLE!" said Frankie, suddenly breaking into the old accent.

"Uh…." wandered off Cat, " I dunno. Maybe. It's a wizarding school, they've got to have chicken."

"Obviously," said Skye.

But did she want to believe it? Lisa never asked the question of herself.

"Hey, Frankie, why didn't you tell us you were going to a magic university?" asked Lisa.

"Oh you know…." she said.

There was a long pause.

"You know…."

More emptiness.

"…..don't you know?"

All three of them shook their heads.

"Oh my GAWD, didn't anyone tell you guys! Not a muggle is supposed to know about the wizarding world. If I were to tell you where I was really going to school, I would've gone to Azkaban or something like it."

"Azkabwah?"

Frankie stared at them wide eyed.

"AZKABAN IS LIKE THE WORST PRISON EVER!" she shouted, her echo frightening the pigeons in the rafters.

"Okiiiiiiiiiiiies," replied Lisa, wide eyed.

"I knew that," Skye raised her hand.

"Of course, Skye, pffffft."

"No, I really did"

"I believe you. Pffffft."

"I'm gonna go back to my room," said Lisa, still wide eyed.

"So why are you going pffffffft?"

"Because my tongue hurts."

"You know I can't believe they let you graduate," said Cat.

"I can't believe you dyed your hair," said Frankie.

"I can't believe this is happening," said Skye.

"I'm going back now," said Lisa

"I can't believe Sam and Jack still aren't together yet," said Cat.

"I still can't believe I lost Torres," said Frankie, looking glum.

"I can't believe I moved to Bolivia," said Skye looking glummer.

"Bye guys!" called out Lisa from down the hall.

"I can't believe…LISA! YOU AIN'T NO HOLLABACKGIRL! GET BACK HERE!"

* * *

Karen and Harry looked at each other, then he looked away and chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. 

"That was…a little funny," said Harry, bending down to pick up some of the chess pieces. "I guess I should've prevented that from happening some now, but somehow it slipped my mind that you wouldn't know anything of house elves."

"It's not your responsibility to teach me anything," said Karen, helping him now.

"Yeah….right," he slowly agreed. She was right. Since when was it his responsibility to tell her everything about the magical world?

Suddenly, her face was very close.

But instead of a kiss which is what he thought was supposed to happen next, she licked her sleeve, and wiped away something on his cheek which set off something from the very beginning.

So were they gonna kiss before, or had she been just trying to fix that?

"There," she said with a smile, proudly. With that, she continued cleaning up, setting up the game. "I'm sorry that we couldn't finish our game, but I haven't done any homework. I've been procrastinating a lot, and it's really built up. And I need a bath. Sooooooooooo… I bid you goodnight."

Harry was still puzzled, but he smiled anyway and said "goodnight."

But she was still standing there, looking like she was in a conflict of feelings that finally, she took his arms, raised them - "Don't move" - and hugged him.

It was weird.

Some kids across the room were giggling.

But he realized she wouldn't let go if he didn't hug her back.

"Alright, now goodnight," she said with a more cheerful smile, and walked off leaving a very happy Harry.

Sort of.

* * *

At Sundaybreakfast, Hermione was unusually quiet about something. 

Harry could tell. Karen was demonstrating on how to make the shape of Spain out of a piece of toast by nibbling on it. Surely, Hermione would have something to say about that.

But no, she just sat there, hair falling around her face, provoking the mass of oatmeal in her bowl and showing no particular interest in the world around her.

"Annnnd….THERE! A LA SPAINIA!" exclaimed Karen in a muffle of toast in her mouth. Skye broke into laughter, choking on her orange juice.

"I-I missed you, Karen!" laughed Skye.

"I miss Medium and NUMB3RS."

Harry noticed something.

"Hey…where is your friend, Cat?" asked the Boy-Who-Lived, raising a brow.

"Oh… you know, with Draco and all," said Karen taking a sip of her coffee

Then suddenly, pale arms wrapped around her shoulders, and a smiling face appeared above her head.

"Bonjourno!" greeted the grinning Cat, dressed in gothic clothes to kill.

"Hey, Cat!" greeted Karen, surprised. Skye was surprised, too, and so was Harry.

"Wow, Cat, you look stunning!" exclaimed Skye. Cat smiled smugly.

"Well, thank you!" she said, taking a seat between Karen and Dean Thomas.

"You do," agreed Karen. "You going on a date today?"

Cat's expression didn't change, but something behind it, did.

"No, no, not today…no," she said. She looked over at Karen's plate, and picked up the piece of toast. "Why is your toast shaped like Florida?"

"Hey, guys," greeted a tired voice.

It was Ron Weasley, the not-a-morning-person red head, coming to join the land of the living, rubbing sleep from his eyes and looking disheveled in a dark green shirt and jeans.

Hermione finally looked up, and Harry for a moment was comforted.

But that didn't last long.

"Hey, Ron, come for a spot of breakfast?" asked Harry. Hermione didn't stop staring at him. Ron didn't seem to notice as he sat down next to Harry.

"Yeah…" he mumbled, blinking to see. After he grabbed some bacon and a biscuit, he noticed the quietness at the table and then finally the look that Hermione was giving him. He had not the slightest idea why it was cold and unforgiving.

"….What?" he responded to it.

Hermione just shook her head, finally breaking her long, pent stare, and said "Nothing."

Ron didn't think it was nothing, but he was happy to take it since he had just woken up.

"Thank you," he replied, with a sliver of contempt, which was not the best time to include it.

"What're you guys doing today?" asked Cat.

"I dunno, reading, drawing, studying, I guess, what about-"

"UGH, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!"

KLASH!

Hermione Granger had smashed a bowl of half eaten oatmeal into Ronald Weasley's face, bringing a gasping silence into the room.

The bushy haired girl glared at him in pure fury for two seconds before stomping off, far off calls of teachers' voices after her to come back and explain her course of actions. Some kids giggled; others gossiped. But Ron just sat there, oatmeal dripping from his chin and wondering if there was really a God and if said God hated him.

* * *

"I'll go get a napkin," said Skye, and she got up to leave. She gave Karen a look that Karen understood. 

"Me, too!" said Karen, quickly shoving the toast of Spain into her mouth and trampling off after Skye.

Cat stayed behind, looking at Harry who was looking back at her, confused slightly. But Ron's confusion overpowered them all. He sputtered the oatmeal out of his mouth.

"Harry, know a spell?" he asked. Harry looked at him, puzzled.

"Um… no," he said honestly. All of his extracurricular spells mostly were defensive spells. He couldn't recall a clean up spell. Hermione usually did that.

"Bloody hell," he said. "We ARE useless."

"Actually…" said Cat, withdrawing her wand, "I know one."

She whispered something and the oatmeal started reverting into her wand like a vacuum, cleaning up his face.

That struck Harry as odd. How could she know a spell they didn't?

"You know, surprisingly this isn't the first time I've used this spell. Lisa and India ink just don't mix."

* * *

Draco Malfoy woke up that morning to the sound of Blaise Zabini fighting with his textbook. 

"TAKE THIS! AND THIS!"

BAM! BAM! THUD!

"OW!"

Draco groaned and reached out from under the covers, fumbling for his wand.

"HA, HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW -"

"Silencio…" muffled Draco, pointing his wand from under the covers to what he thought might be Zabini standing there.

There was no more shouting, but he did heard a lot of grumbling from the book.

After getting up, Draco suddenly felt woozy.

"Whoa…" and he sat back down. His head was heavy. But nonetheless, he got up again, and decided to get dressed. But his body said no, and he had to sit back down again. He did not feel so good.

"What's the matter, Draco?" said a voice. He looked up. Zabini had reversed the spell, and was adjusting his tie. Zabini was always dressing himself in a shirt and tie. No one knew really why. He was so handsome, almost all the slytherin girls wanted a piece of him; he need not worry what he wore. But Draco always thought it was a manner of foolish consistency as to why he always wore the tie.

"My head's heavy," said Draco, "I think I better go to Madam Pompfrey's…"

"Pffft, yeah right. You're always exaggerating, laying it on thick," laughed Zabini. His book was on his bed, struggling under the belt and lock. It was shaking the mattress, making an annoying sound to Draco's ears.

"What point are you trying to make?" asked Draco, holding his head.

"Oh Draco, you know what I'm trying to say. Or dare I say it," said Zabini, gazing into his mirror confidently. "You're what we like to call a crybaby."

"WHAT!" snapped Draco, jumping to his feet. It was like throwing a bowling ball into the air and forgetting to catch it. Draco immediately fell back onto the bed. Zabini didn't see this or he chose not to. "How dare you call me a crybaby?"

"Care to prove me wrong?" challenged Zabini, turning around and smiling slyly.

"Does a mud blood stink of mud?" replied Draco. Zabini raised brow, and folded his arms over his chest.

"Five galleons says you can't go through one day without griping about something, Draco," challenged steel-eyed Blaise Zabini. Draco scoffed.

"Tch, what a load of-" Draco caught himself. Zabini couldn't help but smile. Draco never realized until just then, with the twik of his lips, how much he hated Zabini.

"One day. Five galleons it is."

So Draco proceeded to get dressed, overcoming all obstacles including his swelling head.

When he came down the stairs, he was dressed as prim and proper as any other day, but his hair was a mess. He had been fondling his head which was still heavy with pain.

A girl with long blonde hair and big blue eyes in a mini skirt and turtleneck dashed up to him at the foot of the stair, smiled, and batted her eyelashes in vain. She was holding something behind her back.

"Good morning, Draco," she said bashfully.

"Gmmunuwah," he replied. She was offended, but she continued smiling, trying to hide it.

" Ahem," she pulled a letter from behind her back. It was in a tight white envelope with roses drawn along the borders of the front. "This is for you."

Draco took it and agreed. "Right, see you at breakfast," he said, and walked around her and off. He left a girl in anticipation and growing fumes.

Down at breakfast, his head's weight only grew with the smell of food. The stench of pancakes, waffles, milk, coffee, grease, and gravy filled his nose and gave him the nauseous feeling of being on a warm, wet, curvy ship in the Atlantic.

The walk to his table, which occasionally moved each year, sat on the far right of the room, and was not that far. He saw where his dimwitted friends sat for they were the largest at one end of the table. Pansy Parkinson in bobbed hair and doe eyes spotted him, smiled cunningly, and turned around. She crossed one bare leg over the other.

Draco took one step.

An anvil suddenly dropped onto his shoulders, and he had to lean into the step to the point where he almost touched the floor. He took another step, but it was like swinging a crutch, and once again, his back leg almost touched the floor. He didn't wonder if he looked ridiculous walking this way. He only wondered why the floor was covered in four feet of honey.

* * *

"Um, I'm gonna go see what's holding Skye and Karen up," said Harry, as he got up leaving, Cat to continue cleaning up his face. 

"Okay," agreed Cat. Not noticing Harry's embarkment, Ron awoke from deep thought, and furrowed his brow in confusion as he looked over Cat's shoulder.

"What in the bloody hell is Draco doing?" wondered Ron. Draco was dragging one foot behind the other, then into the air and slowly to the ground, then bending so low that his back knee almost touched the ground.

Cat didn't turn around for sheer spite, "Prolly being a bratish," said Cat. "One more spot…"

Cat had a wild idea. She grinned and leaned over the table and cleaned the last spot with her finger, swiping it off and deliciously licking it.  
Ron snapped, blinking his eyes and confused at Cat.

Draco so saw that.

"I SAW THAT!" Draco snapped from a far. He directed everyone's attention even more.

He may have been running, Draco couldn't tell and neither could anyone else, but after some time and laughter he ignored, he made it to the Gryffindor table to a confused Ron and a sneaky, but faking perplextion Cat.

"Malfoy, what's the matter with you!" demanded Ron. Draco bent down and jabbed his finger in his face.

"NOTHING, YOU POORHOUSE WEASLE-"

"MR. MALFOY, WE DO NOT SHOUT IN THE GREAT HALL!"

"-bee!" snapped Draco in a whisper. Suddenly his head got heavier. He cringed and grabbed his head.

"Shut your gob, Malfoy," snapped Ron, with no change in expression.

"Draco, you're making a big deal out of nothing-" began cat with a sheepish smile and shrug.

"You- you-" he stuttered to her. Draco's head felt so heavy he had to sit down, but he couldn't see, so he fumbled for Ron's shoulder as a leaning post. "You be quiet! I'm not griping!"

Cat was appalled. Her mouth fell open and everything.

"Are you implying you enjoy seeing me flirt with other guys!"

"What!" Ron was clueless. Draco's head was pounding. Her voice was blurring in and out of his head, clear and spotless one minute, mixed and a y chromosome lower than it should be the next.

"Draco, I'm tired of this! Why won't you let me be with my friends! What's wrong with me being friends with people from other houses! Do you think I degrade you by so called 'fraternizing' with them!" Cat snapped with accusations and implications. Draco head swam. He swerved and jabbed his finger back into Ron's face.

"You're…You're too good to be associated… assoc…associa.."

And then Draco collapsed head first into Ron's lap.

Now this was only and justly frightfully famous.


	23. John the Revelator

Author's note.

The song drove me insane for like...for three whole days. Thanks for reading this far.

Song: Depeche Mode - John the Revelator

* * *

Chapter 23. John the Revelator

THUNK.

The overwhelmingly large Great Hall doors made a hard sound as it closed behind Harry Potter. The young wizard looked all around, thinking Skye and Karen could not have gone far for napkins.

_They must be in the girls' bathroom_, he thought. As he traveled down the hallway, he heard a loud voice as if on an intercom.

"ALL STAFF MEMBERS REPORT TO THE STAFF ROOM AT ONCE!" echoed Prof. McGonagall's voice down the halls. Harry didn't think anything of it. He spotted the girls bathroom and wondered if he should wait outside or, dare he think it, go in?

Harry heard voices, couldn't discern any of it, but he could tell who they belonged to. Karen and Skye were for sure in there, but the other voice…he knew it, but he couldn't match it to any face that flashed through his head.

Should he go in? If there was a boy in there already, then maybe, it wouldn't matter if he went in.

Harry looked both ways and then casually turned into the doorway of the bathroom.

"…think that's enough…" said Skye. Harry stopped before turning the corner.

"Sssth!" A nervous chuckle, and then Karen spoke. "Stings every time…"

Harry felt the time was right to interrupt on them.

"Skye? Karen?" he called out, turning the corner. There was a sound of shuffling when he turned the corner, Karen adjusting the collar of her vest, but he hadn't time to ask her of anything, because at that moment Skye shoved him back.

"WHAT'RE YOU DOING IN HERE THIS IS THE GIRLS BATHROOM GET OUT GET OUT!" she shouted, shoving him back once, twice, three times and he had shoved so far back that he had gone so far back, he fell hard against the hallway floor.

"OW! Geez," he whined, but he hadn't time to even wallow in that, for he heard footsteps come down the hallway, and he got up quickly to see a thirty year-old man come running in his direction. He paused for a moment beside Harry to lean on his own knees and catch his breath.

"Are you alright?" asked Harry, furrowing his brows. The man nodded, but said nothing, gasping.

"HE WENT THIS WAY"

"What!" Harry was baffled, and they both glanced down the hallway where the voices and the sound of running came, and the man out of nowhere snatched Harry's glasses right off his nose.

"Wha-HEY!" But the man was already halfway down the hallway again. Harry whipped out his wand and was ready to blast the first spell that came to mind.

"_PETRIFICUS TOTALUS_!" he shouted, but he heard no sound of a body slamming clamped together and to the floor, so he fired again in another blurry direction.

"_PETRIFICUS TOTALUS_!" he shouted again, but it had the same result. And for some reason, he thought the third time it would work.

"_PETRIFICUS TOTALUS_!" he shouted. Nothing. Harry had no doubt now that the man had turned the corner and gone with his necessity. Without his glasses, he couldn't aim his spells, he had no clue where the thief was, and there was no way to stop him.

At that exact moment, Harry realized he had an incredible weakness that had been right in front of his nose his entire life: he was blind without his glasses.

If Voldemort was here, thought Harry, he could kill me right now and would have no trouble doing it. It would be as simple as squashing a bug.

Harry had never felt so weak.

* * *

_This is not my morning._

_I should've never come to breakfast._

_Should've never gotten dressed._

_Gotten out of bed._

_I should've never woken up._

_I should've just continued dreaming of flying on my newest, greatest broomstick ever with a beautiful, bushy-haired girl hanging on to me. Should've continued flying into the sunset with her singing show tunes and making out randomly between numbers._

_I should never have woken up._

_I should've gone into coma._

_I know Mum would've continued paying St. Mungo's if I went into a coma._

_Good things comas are._

_No school._

_No homework._

_No quidditch, but I can live with the dreaming-kind._

_And there's especially none of the Malfoys there._

There was a squeal from afar. Laughter, he could hear it, gasping, talking, and all Ron could think was this:

_I have to get him off me but I don't want to touch him._

"Draco?" said Cat. She leaned over the table and looked at him.

"Don't laugh," said Ron. If there was one thing that he could have to retain his dignity, Cat not laughing would mean it would still have its base. He was kinda glad Harry was not here to see this.

Cat didn't laugh, the corner of her mouth twitched, but Ron didn't take that as laughing so his dignity could still stand a bit even though it was a tiny mountain of salt on the floor.

"Draco, are you okay?" asked Cat.

"Please get him out of my…..just get him out of there."

No response. Cat touched his back.

"Draco?"

The same.

"Draco Malfoy died in my lap," said Ron.

Once more, he didn't respond. Cat was angry. If this was one of his tom-fooleries…

"Draco, you are fooling no one, now get up!" snapped Cat. Draco didn't move. Again Cat snapped at him. "Draco!"

But he didn't move. Then a fearful realization came to her.

"DRACO!" she screamed. Suddenly a hush came over the Sunday gossiping at Cat's cry. She climbed over the table, over plates of food and despite her short skirt, not caring if anyone saw anything of any sort. She yanked Draco out of Ron's lap to which he thanked her by exhaling air he had no idea he was holding.

"Oh my God…" Draco's forehead was so hot, it burned like a stovetop. "Ron, he has a fever, we gotta get him to the hospital wing"  
"What?" asked Ron, confused and appalled.

"C'mon, I can't carry him on my own," said Cat, tucking her arms under his arm pits and pulling out from the bench.

"What're you doing, Crescendo?" demanded a voice. Cat looked up, and it surprised her that it wasn't Pansy Parkinson.

"Where's…"

"What have you done to him!" she gave another demand, looking shocked and irritated. Draco's head rolled to one side, and a groan escaped him against Cat's shoulder.

"He's sick, and Ron and I taking him to Madame Pompfrey's," replied Cat so honestly and confused that she was standing before her.

"Wha…" he barely said. The blonde girl changed to determined feme fatale.

She did the one thing that most people would go "OH NO SHE DIDN'T" if they were American, and by chance, in America. She also did the one thing that most people would go "OH BLOODY HELL" if they were English, and by chance as well, in England, but since they were in England, and Cat was American, not English, Ron provided it for her as the blonde girl tried to scoop Draco Malfoy from Cat's arms, or in other words, "steal her man."

"I'LL take him to the hospital wing myself!"

"OH BLOODY HELL!"

In excellent timing.

* * *

At that moment, Skye and Karen came out of the bathroom to see Harry squinting and pointing his wand down the hallway toward nothing, and the throng of teachers that went running past him shouting the occasionally "Get out of the way, Potter!." 

The girls both jumped back to get out of the way. As they passed, they looked at each other curiously, then back at Harry.

"Harry?" spoke Karen. The hallway had thinned out, and now alone and startled Harry jumped and dropped his arm, then began looking around in all the wrong directions.

"Karen!" he called out, too loudly. Skye smirked, and Karen raised a brow confused, reaching out and touching his shoulder.

"Harry?" Harry jabbed his wand at her and she jumped back.

"Karen?" he asked.

"Harry, it's us!" said Skye, smiling. "Where're your glasses?"

"I was standing right here, and this man, this man - he just came running down the hallway, stopped, and took my glasses, and ran off down the hallway!" explained Harry. "I tried to stop him, but I couldn't see where he was all I could see was this blur, and it kept getting smaller and smaller and I couldn't-"

"Alright, I get it! Don't you have an extra pair or something-"

"NO! No, don't you see? Those were my only pair, the dursleys only gave me one pair, and without them, I'm BLIND, I'm blind!" shouted Harry, and then leaned his head again Karen's shoulder feeling miserable. "I'm blind, I'm bloody blind…"

Karen didn't know what to say, and Skye didn't know what to do. Both of them felt guilty. Both didn't know how to fix things.

"Maybe, they'll catch him or something, Harry," said Skye. "Whoever that guy was…"

* * *

"NO! LET GO! BACK! BACK I SAY!" shouted Cat kicking the blond girl off. 

"No, YOU LET GO!" snapped the girl, still struggling to take him off.

"I can't believe this is happening," muttered Ron, getting up out of his seat. He began to walk away, but Cat called out to him.

"HEY YOU SMELLY GIT, HELP ME!" snapped Cat.

Here was pivotal moment in Ron's life.

Should he turn and help a girl he barely knows or likes?

Or should he walk away now and enjoy what's left of his homework-study devouring day?

Ron sighed. He turned around, and began walking back to the crowd of people that was forming around Malfoy, Cat, and the blonde girl.

I wish the teachers hadn't left to do Merlin knows what, thought Ron as he stomped back to the swarm of people and screaming, leaving me to do all the dirty work.

And Ron got to work alright.

Very routinely, he wrapped his arms under her arms and picked her up.

The blond girl was so shocked, she froze all together as Ron, being as tall and strong as he was, held her in the air and carried her off. Cat was left holding Draco and gaining back her breath.

Ron then carried her all the way around the Gryffindor table, followed by a herd of 1st years, to the Slytherin table. A 6th year got out of his seat, transfixed and obviously not happy to greet Ron, but did he care, no, and Ron stopped right in front of him.

"Nott."

"Weasley."

They both narrowed their eyes at each other in an icy glare as if either of them didn't like how the other said the other's name. Finally Ron looked down at the girl he restrained and back at him.

"You can have her back."

The blonde girl's mouth feel open in shock.

"Thank you."

And the black haired 6th year Nott took her back.

* * *

Karen was rubbing Harry's back as he leaned on her shoulder, head full of worries when Lisa came running down the stairs, hair all a mess and clothes in the same state. 

"SKYYYYYYYYYYEEEEE!"

And Lisa did the strangest thing. She climbed on top of the railing and jumped.

Everyone, minus Harry, which means just Karen and Skye, stared, mouths hanging open, which had happened a lot so far in one morning, and became blank with what to do.

"MAGIC EMERGENCY!" shouted Skye, whipping out her wand, "_LEVICORPUS_!"

"AAAAH!" Lisa's ankles shot up into the air and was now hanging upside down before them.

"Oops"  
"What's going-"

Karen clamped his head back to her shoulder.

"Nothing-shush-be miserable," said Karen.

"Skye, this was not the spell to handle it. Wingardium or the feather charm, probably would've been BETTER!" snapped Lisa, hanging upside down. Skye, had to choke to keep from laughing.

"Sorry…what…why did you jump, what is it?" asked Skye, stepping up to Lisa's head.

Lisa glanced both ways and whispered.

"I sent a letter to my cousin to tell her where I'm going to school, so I might as well KILL MYSELF NOW!" shouted Lisa.

"Whaf?" muffled a confused Harry into Karen's shirt.

"Shush," silenced Karen, rubbing his back all the more quickly.

"What?" asked Skye a second time.

"I sent a LETTER to my NON-WITCH COUSIN telling her WHERE I'M GOING TO SCHOOL and now I'm trying to DIE!" shouted Lisa.

"WHAT? HOW? WHY?" responded Skye, shouting now.

"What's going on-" began Harry lifting his head and turning, but Karen just grabbed his face and made him look at her angry face.

"WOULD YOU JUST BE MISERABLE FOR ONE MOMENT?" and she pressed his face against her chest, and wrapped her arms around him, and contained him. Harry didn't know what to do. This was the first time he ever experienced being held by a girl this way and didn't enjoy it and the first time he was the prisoner of breasts.

"I DON'T KNOW!" shouted Lisa, so embarrassed, then whispered, "I didn't know we were not allowed to tell others about magic and stuff, and I wanted to show off so I sent it to her by pretty owl postal service!"

Skye smacked her forehead and groaned.

At that moment, a young blonde haired girl in lavender gypsy dress and robes came running down the hallway in moccasins.

"Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod…."chanted a panicked looking Frankie.

"Oh my….is that… FRANKIE!" shouted Karen.

"Whuf?" muffled Harry, but he was all too slow for Karen. Immediately, she shoved him away and began running toward Frankie as if Japanese animated.

"FRRRRRRRAAAAAAAANKIIIIIIIIIII-"

"NOT NOW KAREN! HUP!" And Frankie dove right under her legs.

"WHA-" And Karen tackled air to the ground.

"Frankie, what's wrong-" asked Skye as Frankie whizzed passed her.

"Can't talk, now, Skye, SEE YA LATER!" shouted Frankie as she was far off down the hall and turned the corner.

"Life is never boring with you people," muttered Harry on the floor, staring up at Skye.

"Ain't that the truth."

* * *

"I can't believe I'm doing this" 

The Gryffindor wizard, Ron Weasley, and the Slytherin witch, Cat Crescendo, were carrying down their fellow student to the Hospital wing by combining their powers or in other words, "I wrap my arm here, and you wrap your arm here."

"Yeah, well, me neither," responded Cat. "I honestly didn't think I'd be spending my morning carrying this creepy, evil loser around."

Ron looked at her for a moment.

"Hang on," he said, stopping. "If you think he's a 'creepy, evil loser,' then why are you dating so said 'creepy, evil loser?'"

"Well," she said, having to stop as well, "he's also… very sexy."

"What a strong basis for a relationship," Ron let out with disdain. Cat looked away to think.

"Well, you know, he's very… persistent. And he stands up for me."

"Pft," scoffed Ron, taking a step and signaling for Cat to join in. "When has Malfoy ever stood up for anyone?"

Cat didn't say anything. She was thinking when he had.

"Well, he does…in little ways. Anyway," said Cat, "changing the subject, why is Ronald Weasley, keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, interested in who I, Slytherin witch, date?"

Ron's ears burned red.

"I'm not interested in who YOU date. I was just curious on WHY you would date such an ugly bastard," snapped Ron, guarding himself from attack.

"Aw. Envy."

It was like Battleship; she madeanother hit.

"I am not envious!" snapped Ron, stopping.

"Ooooo, jealous has driven him MAD!" ogled Cat with a grin, waving her other hand for dramatic effect. Ron was fed up. He threw his half of Malfoy to the ground. Another hit.

"I AM NOT JEALOUS!" he shouted. And she sunk his battleship.

At that moment, a thirty year-old man came running down the hallway, breathing hard.

"What the…"

And behind him a group of teachers followed.

"CRESCENDO! WEASLEY! STOP THAT MAN!"

Ron and Cat were so startled by this sudden command that they scrambled for their wands.

The man looked panicked, and he pulled out something from his pocket and flew it over his head, but he could not in time.

"_Expelliarmus_!" cried out free-handed Ron at the man.

"Watch OUT!" Cat shouted.

The man flew back and hit the teachers and the collided to the ground. There were a few seconds of confusion in which the man tried to get back up, but he was grabbed and shackled immediately with spells.

"We've got him, Headmaster! We've got him!"

"Who've they got?" asked Cat to Ron. Ron shrugged. Cat narrowed his eyes at him to Malfoy to him. And finally he rolled his eyes and picked Malfoy back up again with a heavy sigh.

"Excuse me, Professor," asked Cat to Prof. Flitwick. "But who have you got?"

Professor Flitwick looked out of breath, ruffled, and a bit nervous.

"Oh never mind, Miss Crescendo, you need not worry about it-"

"LET GO OF ME! LET GO OF ME, YOU WITCHES, I WILL NOT BE HANDLED IN THIS WAY! JUST WAIT UNTIL THE PRIME MINISTER HEARS OF THIS! HE'LL HAVE YOUR PRIME MINISTER FOR BREAKFAST!" shouted the man as he was being haltered off in mid air, wrapped in vegetative vine and thorn.

"What's he talking about…" muttered Cat, glancing from him to Ron's wide eyed expression.

"A WAR IS COMING! AND WHEN IT COMES YOU'RE GONNA WISH YOU HAD NEVER MESSED WITH US HUMANS! THE END OF YOUR LITTLE WIZARDING WORLD IS COMING! THE WITCH HUNT HAS ALREADY BEGUN!" shouted the man as he was being carried off.

"Someone shut him!" urged a teacher.

"THE WITCH HUNT IS COMING-"


	24. Virginia Wolf

Author's Note:

Hello. i forgot what i say in most of these, but i know i used to say "Thank you" so thank you for reading for so long. I appreciate your interest and i hope i can continue to keep your interest in the story. This song was introduced to me by my dear friend, Cat.

Song: Indigo Girls - Virginia Wolf

* * *

Chapter 24. Virginia Wolf

"What?" Ron stood there with a confused look on his face.

Cat Crescendo was a statue in silent shock and puzzlement. Was that just a muggle the teachers had carried out? If so, how the hell did he get in here? And what was he raving about? Witch hunt? Could there possible be another witch hunt?

No, that could not be possible, she thought to herself.

Ron opened his mouth to say more, but all he could do was point and look over to Cat.

"Was that…was that just a…a muggle?" Cat made a slow shrug. Ron darted to were it had just happened to back at her. "How the bloody hell did it get in here?"

Cat broke from her trance and corrected him.

"He. How did HE get in here?"

"Yeah, how did HE get in here?"

Cat put her hands on her hips. "Now, why're you asking me?"

Ron stared at her. "I don't know."

"Mm-hhm. Sharp as a tack," and Cat bent down to pick up Malfoy. Ron furrowed his brows annoyed. He turned around and took two steps back to the main hall then turned around and confronted her with the issue that had bothered him for quite some time.

"You know what -" Cat looked up at him, holding Draco's hand around her neck, "I was HERE before you! Harry told me you've never received schooling before, and yet how is it you're in all our classes and making better grades!" demanded Ron, touching the center of his chest with an open hand. "I should be your upperclassman! You should be showing me some kind of respect! I'm older than you!"

Cat blinked at him and dropped Draco with a great thud.

The short Slytherin in boots and a miniskirt walked straight up to the fiery ginger-head and smiled in a mix effect of creepy and pleasant. He looked confused when she placed her hand on his shoulders and smoothed out the wrinkles very calmly, and then in all great unexpectance and womanly roar, knee-ed him in the balls.

"HYAH!"

"AUGH-"

Cat turned around, walking back to pick up Draco in a confident march and bitterly speaking.

"I'm fucking two years older than you, moron."

Ron bent over, caving into the floor in pain. Cat picked up Draco and dragged her beloved to Madam Pompfreys not as swiftly as she had before with Ron, but much more pleasantly.

And with a happy whistle.

* * *

Just as they watched Frankie reach the end of the hallway did they here someone shouting. 

"I TOLD YOU TO WAIT IN THE DUNGEON, MS. FADEN!"

"Frankie..?" muttered Karen. Lisa cocked her head to one side, confused, and then Skye suddenly remembered what she had done, and she fumbled to give Lisa a quick wave to lower her which in fact, just dropped her on top of Harry like a cherry on a sundae.

"Whoa-"

"ACK!"

BATHUMP.

"What's going on, Professor"  
"Never mind that, Sonnet, get out of the way!" snapped Snape, waving her aside as they restrained the man, carrying him back. "Go back to your dormitories! All of you!"

It was a parade of teachers; each of them, minus Filch, was pointing their wand at the floating human wrapped in thorny foliage. Dumbledore was not with them. Skye tugged at Professor McGonagall's sleeve.

"Go back to your dorms, ladies, Potter," said the Professor, agreeing with Prof. Snape on the issue. They did not stop their parade, Frankie running in front of them, hoping to get away from her Professor as much as possible.

Snubbed like good little annoying children, the girls turned back to the Lisa was helped to her feet, and Harry Potter was gestured a hand but he was lost in thought. Skye was curious, watching them leave like Harry.

"Is that a water buffalo they're carrying?" he asked, squinting his eyes and cringing.

Karen was standing right beside him, hand held out, and looking over to distant crowd of teachers.

"I think it's a man…large, balding? Wrapped in thorns…" she described. "Sound like anyone you know?"

"No….yes…I don't know," he stammered.

Karen looked at him thoughtfully. He was squinting, real hard, not really trying to see anymore, more like he was thinking about something but having great difficulty. She wondered if he was trying to remember the man's face. She wondered some more things, before smiling slowly.

"Let's go back to the dorms. We have a test tomorrow, remember?"

* * *

Cat dropped Draco onto the cot, and Madam Pompfrey pushed her out of the way, setting her broom aside the cot. 

"Let me see here…" Madam Pompfrey put her hand across his brow, felt the warm temperature, pulled out a wand and lit the tip so that it shone like a flashlight. She pulled up Draco's eye lids looking at each eye. "Hm."

"'Hm' is never good," muttered Cat, now suddenly worried what she thought was just harmlessly fainting could be something else.

Madam Pompfrey, reached down and pulled up his sleeve, looking cleanly at the wrist of his right hand, then his left hand. She then pulled up his shirt, revealing a clean chest and clean abbs.

"Madam Pompfrey, what are you looking for-"

"Miss Crescendo, visiting hours are over!" and Madam Prompfrey promptly rushed her out of the room by force of broom.

"Ah!" Cat nearly tripped leaving the Medic wing and whirled around to see doors close in her face.

"Come back tomorrow!"

* * *

Before they knew it, it was the first class of Monday, and Harry was deep in trouble with his transfiguration test. 

His teacup refused to dance. Hermione's danced, blew bubbles, and sang Carmen soprano. Ron was using a different approach than magic, threatening his teacup with crucifixion. Harry persuaded his teacup as much as he could, but his attempts were fruitless. Harry couldn't SEE HIS TEACUP so he wasn't quite sure what he was casting a spell on, much less what he was trying to bribe at all. But not being able to tell between a black wardrobe and Millicent Bulstrode didn't bother him that much after a while. Now what really got to him was that Cat, a new student, was acing this test and he, a long-time resident student, was not. Karen, he knew was doing okay, but Cat who was sitting back and chatting Karen up was driving him insane with her casualness. _Her teacup_, he groaned to himself, _is speaking with a French accent._

"OUI OUI!" declared the teacup.

"….and oh my god, I can't believe her! Really! Geez! It's losers like her that makes slash useful!" he heard Cat say.

"Okay…. It can dance, it can blow bubbles, but it won't sing. I've almost got all three down, I just NEED it to SING!" summarized Karen, giving her teacup the steady-eye treatment. She turned to Cat with a devious gleam in her eyes. "Care to give me any tips, Pierre?"

Cat replied with her own devious sparkle.

"Oui oui!"

"Crescendo! Hartholmes!" called out a authoritive voice.

"That's okay-I don't need it," Karen quickly murmured and turned back to her teacup. She sighed and folded her arms over her desk, resting her head in them.

_I wonder what that was all about…the other day_, she thought to herself. As she twirled her magic wand around the teacup, she thought about what was going with her. Halloween was coming up. She was really looking forward to that. _But before that_, she told herself, _Lisa, Jamie, and Cat have to pass their tryouts._

_No way I'm getting in…_Cat turned a page in her Wizard magazine, sucking the end of her new obsession, sugar quills, and thinking to herself as well. _I'll have to practice after school today, to squeeze in some extra practice before Saturday rolls around. Maybe Lisa will practice with me? Her tryouts are the same time as mine…_Cat gave a side look at Karen and the bandanna she wore around her neck. _Jamie won't be of any help. I'm better at getting help from Draco._

_Karen, if you can hear me…stop talking to Cat_ , thought Skye, attempting to send a telepathic message to the girl who sat in front of her, whispering to Cat. Skye was quite done with the test. Her teacup was an perky teacup and did what it was told to do: dance, sing, and blow bubbles. But now she was concentrating on some potions homework, but getting no where with it. But even if Karen did stop talking to Cat, would she still be able to concentrate? Over and over she thought about the event the other day. _What was that all about? Was it a death eater? Was he in the castle? And what about the corpses lately?_ Skye literally shivered._ So strange, so bizarre. Why does every year like this? There'll never be a normal year at Hogwarts, will there? Oh who am I asking? I'm going nuts. But on a side note…_Skye looked off into the distance. _I wonder if Jamie is feeling better._

_Who is Jamie Jettison?_ thought Harry, staring into the dismal blur of what he believed to be a standstill teacup. _He's friends with Cat and the girls, but who is he really? Where did he come from? America? That seems like the only logical explanation. But something seems weird about him._ Harry heard Karen giggle, unexpectedly. Harry smiled to himself. _Sad to say…I wish I knew what they were talking about._

"Time!" exclaimed Professor McGonagall. Harry sighed, unhappily sitting back in his chair. "Put your wands, down…Wands down, Mr. Weasley."

Harry's hear sank into a deep pit staring at a messy, moving blotches of color. He wasn't happy with the grade he knew was coming to him like slow moving inescapable monster.

"That's all for today, you may leave," she said to them, and Harry began to pack up to leave like the rest.

He began to get and move the aisle, best he could, but after almost tripping over everything in his path, he decided to stand back and wait for people to move around him.

"Harry, you alright?" asked Hermione.

"Hermione, that's like asking a beached whale if it's alright," responded Harry, numbly. Hermione took the stab like raindrops on a statue.

"Harry, you said yourself you were blind without your glasses," said Hermione.

"I'm fine," Harry muttered.

"Are you sure…? Okay…But don't get left behind… if you need a hand-" she began.

"I'll be fine," he told her, tending to his pride. As soon as she had left him for a moment or two, he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he tensed.

"Harry, are you sure you're alright?" asked Ron.

"Go on, Ron," Harry told him, brushing his hand off. Ron went on.

As soon as he thought the doorway, the blotch of what he believed to be an exit, was clear, he began walking toward it, when Prof. McGonagall.

"Mr. Potter, you barely touched your teacup!" exclaimed the Professor. Harry, turned around, guiltily.

"I know, I-"

"He lost his glasses, Professor," responded a quiet voice.

"Mr. Potter! Don't you have an extra pair?"

Harry gulped. "No, ma'am."

Prof. McGonagall sighed, and if he could see her, he assumed she'd be throwing her hands in the air.

"By Merlin's beard, the muggles who raised you!" exasperated the Transfiguration professor. Harry couldn't say he was offended. He smiled to himself. "Well, I can forgive this. You can retake the test after school tomorrow, but go TODAY and get some new glasses."

"How, Professor…?"

"How else? Ask Hagrid to take you. Here's a written pardon…" He heard the sound of ripping parchment. He held out his hand and tried to grasp at air until someone finally took his hand and put the paper in it.

"Now, go," dismissed Professor McGonagall.

"Let's go, Harry," He felt a small hand grasp his.

"Karen?" Harry was startled.

"C'mon Harry, we haven't got all day!" snapped Cat. Harry yanked his hand away.

"I don't NEED your help!" snapped Harry. Karen stared at him.

"You sure?"

"YES!" he said indignantly. Karen looked scorned.

"FINE!" She spat. "Be a stupid boy!"

"Miss Hartholmes!" declared Prof. McGonagall, surprised.

"Fine! I will!" he responded. But she wasn't done.

"Be a stupid stupid stupid stupid boy with stupid hormones, with stupid thoughts, with a stupid y chromosome, with a stupid scar, with stupid magic powers, with a stupid horrible vision who needs stupid glasses, who pledged STUPID ALLEIGANCE to your STUPID ASS of the United ASSES of STU-PID-ICA, and to the STUPID PUBLIC ASS for which you ARE, ONE STUPID ASS, UNDER ANOTHER STUPID ASS, EASILY STUPID-ABLE, WITH STUPIDITY AND ASSES FOR ALL!"

And she stomped out of the classroom, dragging a stifling-laughing Cat with her.

* * *

The children all went to their assigned seats. The trio was separated as usual, and the Slytherin trio was not, or the duo, today. Ron didn't like it, and neither did Harry, but Hermione spoke calmly saying that the same thing reversed was done in a Gryffindor classroom. Skye spoke aggressively about the issue, but Cat never minded it. Karen went to the restroom quick before class, but she was running late. 

"Hang ahn," said a curious Seamus Finnegan, he leaned over to Dean. "Who's that over there?"

The students watched peculiarly, a fidgeting woman, who looked like she should be more of a student than a woman sitting in a white lab robe with the words "Teacher Assistant" in vividly blue letters upon her left breast pocket.

Skye looked both ways before whispering quietly, a "psst", to the woman. She caught her attention and smiled, seeing her.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine, girl," mouthed Skye. Frankie smiled nervously until the Door slammed open with a great bang and slammed closed with the same effect.

A dark creature, a man with a bitter look and hair and robes black as night came marching into the room with a terrible air. The class silenced themselves, their smiles dropped, and their heads lowered.

The room's temperature dropped about five degrees.

Professor Snape stepped right up to his podium, and flipped through the pages. The class was quiet, waiting for the Potions master to speak of the new arrival. The new assistant was also waiting, sitting quietly in his chair, her hands formally in her lap and staring at Professor Snape with deep and rib-poking work.

"Turn to page 142, we'll begin with The Benefits and Dangers of Elixirs, Zabini, you may begin reading," mulled out Professor Snape.

The Slytherin began reading the first paragraph on the anti-aging potions. Some children were paying attention, but majority of eyes were fixated on the blonde new comer and her unrelenting stare upon the Potions master. He must've begun to feel the stare, because after a few minutes he began reached for the back his head and scratched for eyes.

Zabini was well into the second paragraph when Snape turned slowly to catch eyes with Frankie. Frankie stared at him for a long as possible, and he returned it for as long as possible. Finally, he turned back to the class and uttered a sigh of frustrated contempt like the Emperor who finally admits he is wearing no clothes.

"CLASS, we have a visitor," her interrupted Zabini who stopped in mid sentence to look up.

Frankie stood up.

"This is Miss Francis Faden. She is a student from University of Magic, and will be staying with us for six months," said Professor Snape. Frankie nodded and was about to say something with a smile when Snape continued. "She will be my assistant until the end of the year, which means she will be following all of my instructions. She will teach as much as forty hours to receive credit, but that does not mean she is a teacher…isn't that right, Miss Faden?" He asked, sultry like, entangling his fingers together and leaning on his post and looking at her.

Frankie stared at him, strangely, and nodded slowly.

"That's right!" and he turned back to the class. "So don't ask her to give you more time for your paper, don't ask her for extra things from my supply room, and don't even ask to go to bathroom. She has no power to give you any permission for anything unless you are on fire and wish to be put out. And only with my permission, will she put out…." he said. "Is that clear?"

No one was quite sure if he knew of the sexual innuendo he just made.

They nodded anyway.

"Excellent. Five points from Gryffindor. Close your mouth, Potter."

* * *

Lunch was unbearable. 

Hermione didn't talk to Ron, but the rest of the school did. The rumor which he had no idea had spread had finally spread to him. Ron was caught kissing a possessed ship maiden during detention, and it reached all of the houses, including the faculty. He was getting a lot of jokes and funny faces, and of course, he was not enjoying it.

Ron was avoiding Cat with much luck. She had not turned up for lunch, and many did not know why. Her closest friends noticed, but one figured she was just visiting another friend and the other felt the need to quest for her. Harry didn't partake much in any conversation finding the silence between his two best friends upsetting and the trading of theories between Skye and Karen idle and dull.

Karen avoided what had happened earlier between them, and although they seemed to roll over it, it was still a bump in the road.

An annoying bump.

The next few days passed in a rather fast pace. An awkwardly fast pace.

The empty space between Hermione and Ron seemed to grow with each passing day. Hermione would talk to Karen and Skye, Lavender and Pavrati. Ron would grumble words every so often in exchange of words from Dean and Seamus. Oddly enough, Harry wouldn't take in much consideration of the icy atmosphere, if only it didn't seem to get colder. Harry began to come to the thought that his two best friends were drifting apart. He was scared, too, and wanted to do something about it, but what could he do? He wanted to do something, but he didn't know.

Another thing. The idle chatter between him and his American friend became more trivial and idle whenever they came near the other. On rare occasions did she ever go back to the way she was. He was always so confused, so daunted, so freaked out, so disturbed, and at the same time, very ordinary. He felt things begin to soften and dull like the end of a shoe. He felt things between them paint a layer of shatter-proof. He felt things. He knew things. But to him, everything was glass.

And another thing. He still hadn't been to get new glasses.

So now he was bumping into things and getting made fun of it. Not to mention every one of his teachers, except one(guess who), was on his back to get them. Itwasn't that he didn't want to, he just didn't have the time.

Harry was making his way down the steps to the Great Hall for Supper Friday night when he heard a familiar voice. This was strange since he knew dinner had already started, and most people were in the great hall, eating.

"James…"

Harry couldn't see anything, the only way he was able to get down the steps is grasping the railing.

"Who's there-UFF!"

Harry tripped and he feel down the stairs. He didn't fall to far down before hitting the hallway floor in super-dooper pain.

"Augh…"

"James, where've…you been?"

Harry looked up, but couldn't discern the face. A person in white pajamas, he deemed, and blonde hair was numbly walking toward him.

He stared, bewildered and frightened.

"Draco…is that you?" When Harry heard no reply, he eased up from the floor, feeling vulnerable and the need to put up walls.

"Alright, so I lost my glasses. Laugh all you want, but you're supposed to be in the-"

"James…"

Draco bent down toward him, Harry couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, he could only stare and grip the hard marble floor beneath him. Draco touched his shoulders, and as he became closer, Harry could make out his face and the glazed look in his eyes.

"I've missed you."


	25. Somewhere Only We Know

Author's Note: It's been awhile, I know. I don't H.P. I think most everyone knows that.

* * *

Chapter 25. Somewhere Only We Know

"What?"

BA-BUMP.

The ground shook with passion.

"What was that?!"

Malfoy seemed unaffected.

He heard the great doors swings open.

BA-BUMP

The ground shook again like a great collision.

And this time Draco collapsed upon Harry.

"ERGH! Malfoy!"

A great chorus of screams followed by a frenzy of panic.

THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP

The first thing that ran through Harry's mind was an earthquake. The floor was vibrating so bad, of course that's what it'd have to be. Harry was unsure though. He was definitely unsure.

"Malfoy! Get off of me!" Harry grumbled, peeling Draco off of him. He pushed Draco onto his back, and could clearly see the cold sweat on his forehead and the unpleasant sickness curling his eyebrows through the blur.

Draco's eyes dimly opened.

"Puh…Pottah…" he wheezed.

THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP

The sound, the rumble, and the shake was louder than ever, and Harry looked up into the blur.

It sounded like a direction, not up or down, but from somewhere.

Somewhere.

"Where am I?" wheezed Draco, numbly.

"SHH!" Harry shushed him.

"Don't hush me, Potta-"

Harry groped from Draco's mouth with his fingers and his hand. Draco wanted to laugh. Where were Potter's glasses?

Harry's palm landed on his mouth, and Draco reached to rip it off like a leech to his flesh, but stopped when Harry whirled around, eyes looking straight at him.

"SHUSH!" he yelled in a whisper.

Draco felt gay for a moment.

Just for a moment.

Harry let go and pressed his head to the cold floor. Draco quickly forgot his order.

"Ew, do you know where that's been."

Harry quickly ignored him.

Sound travels quicker through solid objects.

Harry could hear something faint… like tapps of rain or footsteps in heals.

He closed his eyes and he could hear it.

Coming.

"It's not an earthquake - MOVE!"

"What-OUF!"

Harry had already leapt from the stone floor and dragged Draco to his feet, and tried to get out of the way, but far too late.

Sound and wind ripped through, vibrating the floor, and beating against the paintings. The pictures cried out in surprise and fury. Harry and Draco hit the floor with a great thud, but as they heard footsteps, Harry, scrambled up, and yanked an upset and frightened(desperately trying to hide it) Draco, behind the staircase with him.

Thankfully, he was not complaining.

As both breathed heavily, backs pressed against the cold stone walls, they listened quietly…

Harry and Draco listened to the wind as it continued, winding up the staircases, pushing back the movements they made. Harry could hear them creaking and he wondered if they would fall. His heart race increased. He looked over to Draco whose face seemed so pale. Draco noticed and gave no different expression than upset stomache.

"I'm fucking fine, Potter," he replied.

Suddenly the wind died. All stopped in a second, not gradually, like nothing was there before.

Both of them were so startled to hear it end so quickly. All that could be heard was silence and the quiet moaning of portraits injured.

And then…. there this strange sound…like walking feet, sliding, dragging on the floor. Someone heavily breathing….

Harry didn't know where he came from. He inched centimeters to the corner, and stepped one eye out to see who passed but he must've missed it for all he saw in the blur was a dark cloth sweep across the floor…

Harry quietly, slowly, got to his feet, and crept around the stair case to see who has walked so smoothly, suspiciously by, but he was far too late again.

He saw nothing but a fuzzy shadow shrink beyond what seemed to be a door, shut just as quietly.

Harry stood up, amid the damage, shocked at what had just happened. The hall was a mess, the stairs were still moving as if nothing has taken place, but the paintings. Ah, the paintings. They certainly got full blast of what sounded and felt like a tornado within the castle.

"What was that?" sneered Draco, accusingly.

"I have no idea-"

"Potter! Malfoy!"

Both of them whirled around to come face to face with Professor Trelawney.

"Professor!"

"Potter! What're you doing… Sigh…and you don't have your glasses yet?! And Malfoy! Last time I saw you, you were in deep illness!"

Harry suddenly remembered his glasses, and then the natural disaster.

"Professor! The wind, the earthquake, sound-"

"Nevermind that Potter… I'm afraid I'm going to have to discipline you both. 15 points from Gryffindor and Slytherin-"

"Now, wait, Professor, I was just getting some healthy exercise-"

"You are sweating and dazed, head to toe. You are just as guilty. Now…" Professor Trelawney folded her thin, wrinkled fingers over her hands.

"Get thee to where you belong."

* * *

When Harry got into bed that night, he was confused. But then, he often was when he got into bed. The fabric to his face was so close but in rare detail and in it, he saw the state of things.

"Ron?" he called out into he moonlight room.

A few moments later.

"Yeah?" came the muffled answer of his friend.

"When did our lives get so screwed up?" he whispered in a clear and hollow voice.

In what seemed like decades on the sidewalk, waiting for your ride, the familiar voice called out.

"I suppose in September, when the school year started…"

Harry agreed in silence.

"Is it all my fault?" he added.

Silence replied, and a sigh, and the sound of sheets and quilt moving entered Harry's ears.

Ron was sitting up in his bed with a sleepy look on his face.

"Really. Is that all you've got to say."

Harry sat up and, in his blurry vision, was able to determine Ron's unamused expression.

"You are more self-centered than the rumors are believed," he replied.

Harry opened his mouth, about to protest, but Ron continued, half asleep.

"Harry, in your need to be loved, you keep forgetting that the world existed without you before, that, indeed, due to your presence, things have changed, things are changing, and things will change, but if you want anything to change, it is all by your hand. Wallowing around and complaining will not get anything done. We've been through this before. Now, your selfishness and vivid features of loneliness cannot touch me. Good night."

And Ron went to bed, having spoken his speech and tipped his metaphoric hat to the lowly hero, fell softly into slumber.

Harry must've sat there for a good thirty minutes before jumping out of bed, tearing off his clothes and putting on a pair of fresh ones, and quietly rushing out the door. He stumbled and almost fell down the stairs. He stirred the portraits but didn't care. He silently went to the portrait hole and found himself dashing for every shadow made by the moonlight.

Eventually, he came to his destination.

BAMN BAMN BAMN BAMN!

"HAGRID! HAGRID!"

He heard great whispering and then big loud thumps of footsteps before the door swung open.

There stood Karen.

"What?" he blurted accidentally. Karen gave him a steely glare. Harry leaned over the side of her to see. "Where's Hagrid?"

He spotted a big lump of quilts to the side of the room, rising and falling.

"He's sick, come back later-" Karen tried to close the door, but Harry pushed his way in. Harry rushed to his giant friend's side.

"Hagrid," he began. Hagrid was in a hot messy state between the conscious world and sleep.

"Oh Harry," Hagrid wheezed. "I fear this may be the last we see of each other."

"Don't say such things," Harry uttered, quietly, twisting the fabric of Hagrid's quilt.

"Oh please…" called out Karen from the pot on the fire, "It's a head cold…"

Hagrid sneezed, and Harry, feeling monumentally stupid, gave Hagrid a sympathetic pat on the shoulder with a smile.

"I feel terrible," coughed the hairy professor, and continued for a good two minutes with a long chain of coughing before finally wheezing, "When I get sick, I get hit hard with the sniffles…"

"I can believe that," said harry taking a seat near his bed. A large coffee cup appeared near his head, attached to it was the hand of Karen, looking down at him with uneasy politeness. He swallowed and took the cup.

"What is it?"

"Arsenic."

The young wizard eyed his tea with suspicious feeling.

"Early Grey," she reinstated, scooching a seat closer to Hagrid. "Now sit up, and drink your tea."

As the weak hairy beast eased up, and the little student fluffed his pillows behind him, Harry sipped his tea. It was pretty good, but a little sweeter than he liked.

"Hagrid, why didn't you tell us you were sick?" he asked. Hagrid looked up from his drink and coughed.

"Well," he began and coughed once more. "You all seemed rather busy taking into your own accounts. What with what's been going on between Hermione and Ron and you stuck between them. So I decided to take care of meself."

Harry was struck speechless. Hagrid looked at him and smiled, between coughs.

"So then what's Karen doing here?" asked Harry, baffled.

"Well…."

"I offered," supplied Karen, going back to the pot to refill his cup. Harry gazed down at the ground in shame.

"Anyway," wheezed Hagrid. "What brings you here, Harry?"

Harry glanced up and his cheeks burned. "Well, I, uh, was wondering what day it is tomorrow?"

"Well, Harry, it's Saturday, and I guarantee you that's not the reason you came down here in the late of the night to ask me that."

Karen sat down next to Hagrid and passed him another cup.

"Actually," began Harry. "I came down to ask…if you would take me to go buy eye glasses."

Hagrid spewed his tea.

"WOT? In the middle of the night?" He started coughing again, and Karen pat him on the back.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry! I've been…" he looked at Karen who caught his eye and gave him an angry look, "foolish."

Karen's eyes eased. She looked at Hagrid who seemed more frustrated with his weak state than Harry.

"Well, Harry why didn't you come to me sooner? I mean, McGonagall told me around Tuesday that you had been missing your eyeglasses and you were to come to me with a task to get new ones."

"I'm sorry. I know."

"Why has it taken you so long?" asked Hagrid. Harry looked Karen.

"I guess… I didn't realize how blind I've been," replied Harry.The edge of Karen's lips curled into a smile.

"Well, I guess it can't be helped now, let's go-" Hagrid began to get out of bed, when Karen leaped from her seat to stop him.

"Whoa! You are way too sick to go anywhere!" Karen snapped. Harry agreed.

"It's okay, Hagrid. I can go tomorrow."

"Tomorrow then."

"Alright…if you think so," He replied, then began coughing up a storm as he began easing back under the covers.

"I think it's best you get some sleep now," prescribed Karen, taking his cups and going into the kitchen. When she returned Harry was up from his seat and hunched over Hagrid, giving him a big hug.

Karen cleared her throat, and Harry stood up abruptly to see her and smiled. He quickly gave his well wishes and good bye and Karen pointed her wand at the candle and then at the fire to extinguish them both.

As soon as they left the small cabin, on the cold front steps, Harry reached the bottom, and Karen called out his name.

"Harry?" she began. He turned to look up at her. His pale face lit by the generous moonlight, and his eyes glowing bright in the night.

"Yeah?"

An owl cooed in the night as the wind beat the tree limbs and picked up the waves in her hair.

"I'm sorry," she replied, hands tucked into her multicolored coat. Her brown eyes caught his eyes searching for forgiveness. Harry couldn't believe they were. After all his stupidity, all of his mindlessness, his hormones, the quiet, and the noise, and the darkness, and the bluriness, he could plainly see detailed, her want.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing," he replied, digging the tip of his shoe into the grass. He smiled, looking up at her outline. "I'm sorry.

She smiled. "Apologize accepted."

He held out his white hand to her.

"C'mon. Before anyone notices we've both been gone."

And she took it, and together, hand in hand, made their way along the rocky path back to the foggy towers of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.

* * *

Draco traced his fingers along the details of her face, and wondered.

"How can I tell my father the woman I love is a halfblood?"


	26. Bittersweet Symphony

Author's Note

So sorry it took this long. I'm a bum, I know. Well, down to the point, this chapter is sort of personal. These characters, though new, defenseless, and at times, selfish in this world, they are important and dear to me. Anyone beyond my circle of friends should know and understand this, before writing to me. Thank you for reading.

* * *

Chapter 26. Bittersweet Symphony

The young blonde prince was sitting up in his bed, crouched over the figure leaning over the side. His hand gently brushed a few fallen black hairs from the calm pale face of the girl who rested her head at his bedside. He leaned over and kissed her soft skin.

"WHOWAHH?!" screamed Cat Cannito springing out of her slumped position from the bedside, knocking Draco's chin against his upper teeth. He clasped his jaw and fell backward on the bed.

"OW!" he groaned. Cat immediately noticed Draco's consciouness, and flew to his side.

"Draco! You're awake!" she exclaimed, joyfully.

"I'm in pain!" he corrected. She rolled her eyes and smirked at the young boy caressing his sore jaw.

"Crybaby," she mused, taking his hand from his face and holding in hers. Draco opened his remembered how beautiful the woman who held his hand was. He leaned up and tried to kiss her but rudely and without much effort, she pushed him down. "Easy now, charming! I'm not even supposed to be here, and I rather not be caught smooching as well."

"Silly little girl, they'll never know-" began Draco leaning up again with a smirk. But just as easily as before, Cat pushed him back but more roughly.

"Silence, foul mortal," said Cat with more debonair and a smile.

"Foul mortal?!" Draco demanded, but Cat climbed into bed with him, laying her head on his shoulder and draping on arm across his chest. He could settle for the cuddling.

"Does nobody obey school rules anymore?" Draco asked into the dark.

"Psh, what school rules?" Cat answered smartly. Draco chuckled and breathed in the scent of love, compassion, and green apples.

"The bet," he sorrowfully remembered. "I've probably lost it."

"What was it?"

Draco recalled.

"I don't remember."

"Ah, well, sorry for the person who you lost to." muttered Cat. "Sorry about earlier."

Draco recalled.

"WHAT WAS THA-" Cat shushed him, laying a finger on his lips.

"Shush shush shush! I was just playing!" she whispered with a smile.

"That was SOME playing!" Draco said angrily, and Cat laughed it off.

"Don't laugh at me!" Draco hissed, so Cat bit her lip terribly to stifle her amusement in his suffering.

"I'm glad it provokes you," Cat replie, sitting up to rest on her forearm to gaze down at him. "Because if it didn't, I would not feel wanted."

The blonde boy raised his hand to trace her soft cheek, from the peak of her hair to the curve of her chin, and something about that gentle motion, that fragile feeling, that once pouting face turned kind and distant, that made the closed off girl remember walls and how sometimes, instead of crumbling.

"I love you."

They simply vanish.

* * *

"Are we taking the scenic route?"

"Maybe."

"You're a goofy goober, Harry."

If there was ever something considered suspiciously magical to both muggles and wizards, it was the night sky. The two children no longer childishly holding hands made their way in the pale shade of moonlight around the school grounds. Their easy quiet between them brought warmth into their cold forms, with smiles on both their faces it was clear that all was well.

"Did Cat ever pass Slytherin tryouts?" asked Harry.

"I think they're tomorrow. She's amped up, though. Ready for them," Karen replied smoothly. She looked up at him, admiringly. "I'm ready for practice. When's ours first, Captain?"

Harry beamed in the darkness and smiled at the new girl.

"Pretty soon, after I get new glasses," he replied.

"Of course!" added Karen. "Thought up a rallying speech for a first game? You've got to have something! Like 'HOIST THE COLORS!' or 'TONIGHT WE DINE IN HELL!' you know. Something ridiculously dramatic!"

"What like 'Speak the Speech, I pray you-"

"Ee gads, the boy knows Shakespeare, who'd of thunk in England even."

Harry laughed and turned back around to see the path, they heard a crunch.

Karen gasped, and silence passed as they stopped.

A few moments, and they turned to look at each other and nervously smiled about it.

"Just a raccoon," spoke Karen to Harry. He nodded, and they continued walking.

Crunch.

They stopped, and Karen instinctively grabbed Harry's hand. It was clammy and cold.

Crunch.

Harry whipped out his wand into the night. Karen groped for hers and silently cursed to herself.

Silence passed and so did a lifetime. Harry squeezed Karen's hand, and she squeezed back.

"I think it's far too late for a walk now," whispered Karen. Harry lowered his wand and looked over at Karen./

"Right-"

Upon that moment, the night was what it was.

"……James…."

Harry broke their hands, and grabbed Karen by the waist, pulling her closer as the voice swam around them, raising his wand again to the night.

"MOM!" screamed another in a whisper, echoing toward them.

Karen clenched Harry's jacket in her fingers.

"…how could you…how could you go off with that MUDBLOOD!" screamed another around them.

"Harry!" whispered Karen.

"..noo..no please!……you… will beg to me!!!….my first….it's only a dark alley…….no please!…..I'm sorry….. I don't… beg… disgrace… only…. Ames…shame..blood….. I don't… no… please, no.…shame… it's only."

The voices swam, in whispers and screaming.

"it's only.."

Around them, in dark places.

"James…"

Rising like a crescendo in their ears until suddenly.

"James…"

It was clear.

The silence of the forest, and a distant light coming toward them.

"POTTER? HARTHOLMES?"

Karen and Harry spotted the light and as it grew nearer, saw it revealed the face of their red head Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher, Miss Gingernox.

"Professor!" started Harry.

"What the heavens are you doing out here?" began Gingenox.

"Well, you see," began Karen. "There was this rockslide, and an avalanche and this stampede going on at the same time, and we were trying to make it down on the back of sea turtles lassoed together with rope made from the hair on Harry's back, when-"

"-immaturely thought going for a walk would be a great idea….to… to explore great conversations on how to get….. better aquainted! With, um, the differences of our sexes!" finished Harry with an uneasy look upon his face.

The young professor looked at both of them with a blank, unamused expression. Suddenly, against all odds, the teacher clapped her hands, leaving the lantern to float in mid air, and gave a tired squeal.

"AWW! Yes! See! This is all that matters! Friendship!" she cried. "Differences made up! Exactly! Big hug! Please!"

One step awkward forth, and then more as the professor took them both into her arms in a big, huddled hug.

"This is cozy," murmured Karen in the human sandwich.

Human sandwiches usually are.

"Well, then!" as the Professor broke from the hug. "I best continue my rounds."

"Rounds, professor?" questioned Harry.

"Yes. Ever since the ministry confessed to Voldemort's return, Hogwarts has been under strict security, even requiring faculty to take turns, one night a month, walking the grounds at midnight," Prof. Gingernox replied, taking the lantern from the air.

"Seriously?" asked Karen. The teacher nodded and gave a yawn.

"Well, yes, of course. It's just a precaution," reiterated the red haired teacher. "But it's probably for the best if Voldemort's most desired enemy be not walking the school grounds alone at night."

"He's not alone," said Karen with a smile, taking Harry's hand in hers. Harry felt the corner of his lips curl into a smile.

An odd look passed across Professor Gingernox's face, like a flash of lightning. Then she smiled kindly with her face, but not with her eyes.

"Of course. Harry James Potter is never alone," she spoke. She cleared her throat. "Well. Best to be on my way, and best to be on yours. Back to the dorms, the both of you!"

"Right," half laughed Harry, and Karen agreed, they watched Gingernox light leave them, and then began making their way back, cutting across the Quidditch field.

"For a minute there, I thought we were about to put Gryffindor a million points in debt," spoke up Karen.

"Yeah?" wondered Harry, leading her across the field. Crossing the quiet field, the young wizard felt like he had experienced a lifetime there, between both goal posts. He must've made some outward sign of nostalgia because Karen stopped, pulling him back.

"Know this place, too well, do yah, Cap'n," she spoke. He nodded, gazing up, admiring the thin hoops against the brilliant night sky.

"I hope to, as well," she replied, smiling. Silence passes in four seconds, because she added, "…maybe not right now! But anyway, let's go! Impending danger! Always evident!"

Harry agreed, and together they made their way. Harry remembered the grave they had discovered not to long ago. He looked over to where they had discovered it.

And saw nothing.

* * *

Walls went up.

Seconds passed, more than Draco expected before he finally had to ask, feeling a strange lump in his throat as the words came out.

"What? No reply?"

Cat's wide eyes rested and she looked away, getting up. Draco sat up.

"Caitlin?" he spoke so calmly as she sat on the side of his bed near his feet, looking toward her stuff lying on the ground. "Please say it."

Cat got up from her seat, and began gathering her things and tossing her bag over shoulder, collected her robe from the chair and hung it over her arm.

"SAY IT!" shouted Draco, not afraid to wake up Madame pompfrey or anyone else in the hospital wing. Cat stopped. Not for a moment did she turn to look at him and, with that, began to walk away. She got to the door, and quietly, left.

Leaving the most miserable in the most unkind way.

* * *

"Well, this is where we part," began Harry.

They stood in the common room before the two winding stair cases, a boy and a girl.

"Yeah," agreed Karen. She stood in her opened coat, removing the scarf around her neck, twirling the tassles in her fingers. Harry found buried lent treasure in his pant pockets, but didn't reveal it. An awkward quiet passed, and being the oddball of the school, Karen decided to skip the milddle man.

As Harry examined the number of loops in the carpet, Karen reached up and took Harry's face in her small hands, touching the roots of his hair on the back his neck, his eyes ran upward to meet hers, gazing softly in the dim room into her hazel ones.

"Harry…." she began, and Harry thought for sure it would come so their lips would lock, but contrary to his thinking, Karen did what she mostly did.

"HYAH!"

Surprised him.

In one fluid movement, she smack both their heads together in a loud coconut sound, and Harry fell, stumbling back.

Harry groaned and reached for the bruise that began to appear near his lightning scar, then looking up at her as if she were in dire need of a strait jacket, she responded.

"Well. Let's not make this an on going gag or anything."

With that, she smiled and made her way up the steps, leaving the Boy Who Lived very shocked and oddly enough, very excited.

"Well. This is awkward," he pondered.

He stood there for a while contemplating what had just happened, then afterwords, growing a small smile, began walking the steps up to his shared room.

* * *

When Karen entered the room, she discovered a crying figure sitting in her bed.

"Hello?" she quietly called out. A soppy wet face looked up to her.

"Oh, Karen," cried Cat. The friend went to her side, sitting down and placing a hand on her shoulder. "I hate this place."

Two friends wrapped themselves in each other arms in the middle of the night and the night wrapped it's arms around them.

* * *

That night, unfortunately, his mind could not be in the place he wanted, as much as he tried. He closed his eyes again, his head resting on a pillow of thoughts of lips and sensations, his mind wandered back to the Quidditch Field.

Back to the missing empty grave.

Where nothing was.

* * *

"Hooray! Hooray! Quiddith tryouts, today! Today!" sang the young Asian American as she danced her way to the showers, gathering some clothes to take with her.

"Not ours, is it?" asked Cho, brushing her teeth in a towel over the sink. Lisa paid no attention as she jumped behind the curtain and began throwing her pjs out, hitting a few random girls cleaning up.

Finally, the Slytherin tryouts had arrived, and Lisa Minne was excited to see if would be connections or hard work that would get her fellow American on the team. Truthfully, it was not much to be enthralled about, but ever since their Hufflepuff friend's oposition on the subject and Karen and Skye's passing their tryouts, it was just another challenge to see if she would make it.

Lisa got ready, dressing up in the normal comfortable(which, in her opinion, was hard to come by), and ran downstairs, straight into a Luna Lovegood, and both stumbled backwards in the collision.

"Oh, sorry, Li-Li," expressed Luna in her soft voice, pressing her skirt down and getting onto her feet.

"Ow," groaned Lisa, and took Luna's outstretched hand with great gratuity.

"Where are you going so fast so early on a Saturday?" asked the bright eyed Ravenclaw.

"Um, going to see my friend try out-"

"Come Lisa, you're going to greatly enjoy this!" and with that, the mysterious Luna Lovegood immediately took Lisa's hand and led her in a run toward the Ravenclaw portrait hole without a moment to lose.

In another part of the castle, Professor McGonagall was enjoying her weekend. She had risen from her bed that morning without the ache in her spine and graceful ease. She dressed in casual robes, but of deep maroon, and brushing her graying brown hair 50 times, she pulled it into a tight bun and proceeded to make her way down to Hogsmeade to meet her fellow professor over tea and brumblecake.

As she left her room and descended down her few steps to her office, bubbling thoughts of delightful conversation entered her brain and a small smile spread across her face in earnest. But as she opened the door she was astonished to see Harry Potter standing before her front door, squinting in red sweater "H" over yellow collar shirt and jeans. Standing next to him on each side appeared to be a bitter Hermione Granger in a knit dress and scarf and an annoyed Ron Weasley in a old flannel shirt and jeans.

McGonagall was instantly flooded with nostalgia.

"Once, a thousand times over. Snape is not after the Philosopher's Stone."

"What?" piped up Harry, suddenly awake from a blurry gaze. Hermione looked surprised, and her cheeks reddened in embarrassment.

"No, Professor," began the bushy haired girl, "we need permission to leave grounds this morning."

"What'd she say?" whispered Harry to Ron, and the red head gave him a shrug.

Irritated with this sudden visitor, McGonagall replied, bringing a delicate, firm finger to her brow as if she possessed a cursed scar of her own that burned, "Excuse me, Miss Granger?! Leave school grounds?! Preposterous! The audacity that'd you dare employ my approval is astounding!"

She suddenly noticed Harry was still squinting to see her facial reaction, and she remarked, "Are you telling me it is to purchase this brave but stubborn young man eyeglasses?"

"Yes! We were hoping you might be able to lend us a carriage or portkey to leave and an eyeglass shop we could go to…"

She began to realize how dependent and great the favor she was asking, not only the approval to leave, but the means and the destination of their journey.

Professor McGonagall considered the expression on Hermione's face as regret and recognized the hopelessness in Ron's and the helplessness in Harry's. She blinked and a kind chill climbed up her spine as sign of weakness and old age.

"You realize we are at war with Voldemort," she said abruptly with a cold air. "You are putting you and your friends at great risk by leaving school grounds."

A desperate and lonely silence was the reply of the three 16 year olds.

"There are Dementers out there. Werewolves. Deatheaters hidden in shadows and their evil eyes in beasts. If he were to ever find out you intend to leave this protected place…" She drifted off implying the danger and fear of the surroundings outside of the Hogwarts Castle. Then she cleared her throat and folded her arms, finding the old teacher's strict soul.

"I suppose someone from the Order shall have to accompany you then," replied McGonagall. The children's face immediately began to brighten. "To ensure that you arrive safely at your destination and back to Hogwarts."

"And I know exactly who should take you."


	27. ChChChanges

Chapter 27. Ch-Ch-Changes

"You must be out of your mind."

The Potions teacher stood in a pair of silk black pajamas, black fleece robe and black slippers in the doorway of his office with rumpled hair and an early morning scowl at a quarter 'til noon.

"Oh Professor, I'm so glad you are not preoccupied today!" exclaimed McGonagall with a poignant smile.

"I've got tests to grade, potions to make…" began Severus, marching from the door way, nearly closing the door in the old woman's face but she was fierce as she was eloquent and shoved her foot in the door and made her way in, after her greasy haired co-worker.

"'I thought to myself who would be happy enough to take time out of his busy schedule to escort the young man to the eye maker?'"

"Clearly all that transfiguration has turned your brain into a nut," replied Snape, waving his wand to his personal cauldron, and fire burst underneath it.

"'Who would be kind enough to take his day off of safety and relaxation to take a journey of dark odds and unlucky dangers at any turn?'"

Snape rolled his eyes and grumbled as he opened the door to his bedroom and tried sharply to close it on her, but she was, as mentioned before, persistent.

"'Why that would be Professor Severus Snape,' I said to myself! No other wizard but Severus Snape!" exclaimed McGonagall with such evil pleasure, Snape pondered if the Sorting Hat had made an apropriate choice in her case.

Taking off his robe, the Potions Master laid it on a chair and slid back under the covers.

A moment or to, the Master thought he had found peace and shelter under 2 inches of quilt and comfort.

But no.

Instantly, the covers were ripped off his body! The Potions Master was winded out of his goose feathered bed, and he fell to the floor with a great thud and grumble. As his head appear above the other side, he saw the unnerved face of Professor McGonagall looking down at him with superiority and final say.

"Fine," grumbled the Potions Master in surrender. "I'll take the brats to Daigon Alley."

In the Great Hall, the trio sat eating breakfast where McGonagall had said they'd meet later with their escort, when Harry was talking and suddenly stopped.

"What is it?" asked Dean, curious. A confused and frightened look appeared in Harry's eyes.

"I feel like a cadaver."

If dark haired girls were allowed to be normal, they would be. But under the consideration of the general public, dark haired girls, especially in glasses, are not.

They are complicated.

Hours earlier, Cat Cannito crossed the Slytherin common rooms with sophisticated grace. There were hardly any onlookers for most of the students of the house slept in, but the few who did could not touch her. She was impenetrable of stares or glares, and she walked from the girl's corridor to the dungeon doors with ease.

In the Great hall at the end of the Raven Claw table she found Karen in a overalls and arguing with Harry who was standing around where the dark haired girl sat. The Ravenclaws seemed to distance themselves from Karen and where she sat, suspicious and confused.

"I'm sorry, Harry, but I can't go with you! Slytherin tryouts are today! Look, I know I said I'd go with you, but I - Cat!"

The first year - sixth year 18 year old student in sunglasses and sweats walked over to her looking elegant in a mix of Elvis Presley and Rocky fashion. Karen watched her with a sort of awe and concern that she no longer argued with Harry until Cat took her seat the table and a plate appeared before her.

"Bacon," replied the Slytherin mistress, picking up some bacon from a center platter.

"Oy!" called out Harry. Karen whirled around.

"I'm sorry, Harry! But Hagrid also! He's still sick! I came by his hut this morning and he was sniveling a whale in his nose," responded Karen slopping her oatmeal.

"Oh, come one," Harry emphasized, leaning forward on the table, and would have succeeded in persuasion if he had not, in so doing, landed a hand on a plate of pancakes.

"Oh Harry," smiled Karen. "I think your friends need help more than you do."

She looked over at the red head who was talking to his twin brothers, arguing perhaps, and Hermione, at the farthest end, reading a book and drinking tea. Both seemed calm, but not content, and Karen noticed this, but of course, Harry could not.

"What? I can't…see…"

"Harry, let me set you up with some mutual aquaintences…" began Karen getting up from her seat and taking him by the arm across the Hogwarts Dinning Hall, leaving Cat to sit beside herself at the Ravenclaw table. She glanced over and dutifuly noted that the commonplace residence of the table did not appreciate her presence amongst them.

"A hi, or good morning would suffice," Cat murmured to herself before biting into a bisquit.

"Hey you!" said a cheerful voice, and realized it was Karen, come back to join her. "What's up?"

Cat grumbled through her food. "What's with the witness replacement program?"

"What? Oh, new table! I don't know, I felt like it," replied Karen.

"I think there are rules here, we can't be crossing all the time," commented Cat.

"Oh, really now? And what's with this?" pointing to her sweats and sunglasses. "Trying out for middleaged rocker?"

"Excuse me? This is my rock hard sport…outfit…thing!" replied Cat, motioning to her onsemble.

"You're joking!" scoffed Karen, gazing her up and down.

"Look!" sounded Cat, frustrated, taking off the sunglasses revealing dark circles. "I don't have anything better than this! They failed to inform me in my letter that I could try out for a magical broomstick sport! 'Oh yes, and do bring an extra pair of tube socks and sweats! Right to! Jolly Good! Pippip.'" she imitated, adjusting an imaginay monocle on her cheek. "Okay, NO!" she added, "The only other thing I have is some street clothes a pair of six inch heels!"

Karen smiled.

Cat gave her a second look.

"You're joking…."

"SLUT MONTAGE!!!" squealed Karen like a banshee and tore Cat from her seat and ran out the Great Hall.

Draco rolled over. He hadn't slept.

He sat up and a fond, kind voice came from a far.

"You're an unsual boy, Mr. Malfoy! Sleep for two days, and all better in one night? Honestly, I must have a vile of your blood…" spoke Madame Pompfrey, making her way toward him with a stethoscope. Draco limply smiled.

"Maybe some other time," he replied. She looked at him so oddly.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, taking a seat by his bed. She breathed on the metal end and pressed it against his skin. Draco shivered against the cool metal.

"Like someone stupefied me," uttered the blonde haired boy.

"Huh…" she thought, listening , then pulled away, and draped the piece around her neck and pulled out her wand. "Open wide. _Lumos._"

She pressed his tongue down with a popiscle stick and gazed down his throat with suspcioun.

"Hmm…_Nox_."

"Well, physically, you seem fine to me. Here, say Lumos for me," she tested, putting a wand in his hand. He uttered the encantation, and the wand's tip lit up.

"Good…Hmm…well, Nox."

He copied her, and she took the wand from his hand and repeated the same information.

"You seem okay to me, you know, health-wise. Well…you're officially discharged now…" she answered, getting up from her seat. "I'll return with a robe to return to the dorm in."

Leaving Draco alone with himself, his swollen eyes studied the weave of the cotton sheet on his bed and the texture of the wool blanket as his thoughts drifted back hours and hours earlier.

"Was wondering when you'd ever wake up," came a familiar voice. He looked up and saw the smirking face of Zabini.

"I suppose I win, then," exclaimed the Slytherin beau. Draco cringed.

"You're fooling no one! Such a sucker up," laughed Zabini, running a hand through his tiny dark curls. Draco gritted his teeth and without caution or delay, grabbed the necktie of the boy and pulled him close to his face.

"What day is it?"

"Let GO of me, you little git-"

"My father MAY be in prison, Zabini but he has as tight as grip as ever on the throat of your father's job at the ministry. I'll pay your stupid bet not because I lost but because it's mere pocket change!" growled Draco close to his face. Zabini's eyes were wide with shock and fear.

"Now what _fucking _day is it."

"Are you spoiled little gits prepared for today's trip?"

The trio looked up in amazement and fear.

"What?"

The dark teacher was dressed in a black traveling coat and black slacks and shoes with a green scarf wrapped around his neck. All three pairs of eyes grew wide.

"Now, let's go."

"What the bloody hell?" asked Ron.

"What happened to Lupin? Or Tonks?"

Snape folded his arms and looked down at them in rejected disgust.

"Unfortunately, the werewolf is deeply under the weather and Nymphadora is not answering her fireplace."

"Madeye then," added Ron. Snape gave him an angry look.

"Do you gather that any of the members of the Order would suddenly drop everything to take you ungrateful children on a picnic?" suggested Snape. Ron gulped, and Harry realized that this was their keeper and no other.

"Now, let's get MOVING," reiterated the Potions Master, grabbing the two boys by the collars and pulling them up clumsily, and Hermione followed suit on her own accord.

With Snape leading the way toward the back of school grounds, an important question rose to the top of his head.

"Professor, why aren't we apparating there?" asked the school boy.

"Variety is encouraged in traveling, otherwise, the Dark Lord would suspect…" explained Snape.

"So what other mode of transportation are we taking then?" asked Hermione. "The Floo network?"

"The Floo network is a sketchy web. We don't know what we could get caught by," Snape explained as he led them farther from the school toward the forest.

Hermione began to narrow her eyes.

"Are we taking broomsticks?" asked Hermione.

"Why yes, you chattering bush, we are taking a carriage," said Snape abruptly, turning around to face her. "Now I ask that for the remainder of the journey to please close your annoying noisy gob."

Hermione's mouth shut quickly , embarrassed and appalled. Ron gave her a look of comfort, knowing that's what she needed after being dismissed so rudely, and noticing this, she blushed a slight pink. Her hand brushed against his, wantingly, but they never entangled fingers.

At the other end of their path, they discovered Filch to be standing there, holding the the reigns of the mysterious invisible creatures that seemed to be leading the wooden carriage.

"What? We're riding there?" muttered Ron, in bewilderment.

"Shouldn't this be the least safe mode of transportation, Professor?" asked Hermione, forgetting her sharp prick earlier. Snape rolled his eyes.

"I suppose you'd rather walk to Daigon Alley?" asked Snape with low and poisonous tone. Hermione closed her mouth in surrender.

"Ye sure owe me for this, Professor. The Gameskeeper is sick with Snivvles," explained the monitor. Hermione and Ron looked surprised and Harry remembered he had not told them yet of his trip last night.

"I thank you, Filch," said the dark man stepping up into the pilot seat. "Come on!"

The three teenagers meekly opened the door to the carriage and stepped on to sit in the back seats.

"Goodluck, Severus," exclaimed the dirty, old staff member.

"I don't need luck," Snape replied. "With these three I need a Merlin miracle not to be discovered. HYAH!"

And the thestrals pulled forward, trotting. Harry gave the monitor a fearful look as they became engulfed by the dark forest, but Filch simply gave a toothy smile and waved happily goodbye.

"Good morning, Minerva! Have you seen Potter anywhere, lately?" asked the headmaster, chuckling a little bit as she entered the Three Broomsticks. He was sitting with Professor Sprouts, and both of them had already ordered their cake, and he was sipping his tea.

"Ah yes. I believe he was shrinking into the distance of the Forbidden Forest with Professor Snape going on a shopping spree."

Dumbledore had a spittake.

The dreary cloud above Draco's head seemed permanent for the day and possibly the week as he stood in the wide corner of the quid ditch field in dark clothes, a cape, and a grimace on his face. He seemed generally confused and unhappy.

Goyle and Crabbe by his side did not speak to comfort or begrudge their friend and superior. They simply stood beside him gazing off into the distance or flossing their back teeth with their long index fingernails.

The Day was sadly growing dreary. Draco's dark cloud seemed infectious and as anyone drew nearer to their team captain, they were soon to realize these were dark times, indeed. The Malfoy Prince would make sure of it.

"Shouldn't you begin orders," began Zabini, giving his friend an ugly look. Draco did not respond.

"Sir?" Zabini added on, grudgingly.

"Yeah, alright," replied Draco unlatching the folded arms over his chest like immovable gates. "Alright, everyone!" he called out to small group of boys who were gathered in a circle chatting and nervously laughing among a few tag-a-long girls.

"Let's get to it. Chasers on my left. Idiotic females on my right… Thank you, thank you…" he drifted his speech as the group separated and a few females with disgusted, offended looks on their faces moved to the right and up the stairs to sit in the bleachers.

And as the group of teenagers split a woman walked into the crowd.

No, she strut down the split, tall in large, black boots, short black shorts and a big lanky black sweater hanging off her shoulders revealing a black spagettii strap. She wore black shades let her long blonde hair hang around her hand like starlight. In her hand, gripped tightly a shapely broom with luxurious curly ends to the straws. Her aura said attitude. Her face said gorgeous. Her curves said heartbreaker. Her moves said victor.

Draco's eyes grew wide in shock and surprise but his lips remained pursed like curve of her chin was familiar, but to other onlookers, she was surely a stranger.

"Let's do this thing," she spoke with severity and minds around became blank in the absorption of her low voice.

Draco admired her ability to grab attention and smirked, clapping his hands.

"A grand entrance, girly. Now step to the right, if you will."

She seemed quiet for a moment, glancing to the stairs toward the bleachers and to the boys who eyed her with hunger and awe.

"Sorry. This is the Slytherin tryouts for chaser, correct?" she asked, her voice strong and resilient, and her face still emotionless as a statue.

Draco raised his eyebrows in inquisitiveness, as the corner of her lip rose a bit as she joined the whispering boys on his left. Draco showed no sign of displeasure or annoyance.

Only the cloud above his head began to thunder.


End file.
